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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26826583">Dead Man Walking</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NervousAliceCurious/pseuds/NervousAliceCurious'>NervousAliceCurious</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Escape the Night (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>ETNtober, F/M, Gen, The Carnival</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:00:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>31,671</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26826583</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NervousAliceCurious/pseuds/NervousAliceCurious</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mat, Rosanna, and Safiya wind up meeting each other at a fantastic Halloween Event just in time to realize that the Universe has decided he must die. If he can live past Halloween, they can all go home safe and sound. But Everlock is not the innocent town they think it is, and they have no idea what is in store. Luckily, someone else does. Three someones, in fact. The trick, is freeing them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mat/Steph</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Welcome To The Everlock Carnival, Where All Your Halloween Dreams Come True</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For October 1st 2020, Last Thurs.</p><p>Cw: Death threat, kind-of. A clown. Brief mentions of carnival food, drinks, and actual drinking. Being dismissed, outcasted.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Flyers for the Everlock Carnival had been airborne for months.</p><p>‘Come one, Come all!!’</p><p>-Nikita had dismissed it as a marketing ploy for a dying town, and had refused to go.</p><p>But she’d let it slip to MatPat in a telephone call, and now there he was.</p><p>Parked outside the dead bridge with dead lights, feeling like a fool.</p><p> </p><p>“I swore this place was it-“</p><p>“Maybe you read the Map wrong”.</p><p> </p><p>He hadn’t driven five miles outside Paramount Ranch alone, either.</p><p>In the backseat, rearranging her luggage, was Rosanna Pansino.</p><p>His ‘sister from another mister’, a Jetsetter who’d just barely flown in.</p><p>They’d stopped by the airport before arriving there.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve been staring at those tiny lines since I heard the news”.</p><p> </p><p>He shook his head.</p><p> </p><p>“-I’d like to think I didn’t hit a Wrong Turn and bring you on a wild-goose chase your first night in the States-“</p><p>“It’s okay, it was a nice detour”.</p><p> </p><p>That was the best thing about her-</p><p>Anything could happen, and she’d take it in stride.</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s go outside”.</p><p> </p><p>-He left, and then opened the door for her.</p><p> </p><p>“Why thank you”.</p><p>“You’re welcome, Fair Traveler-“</p><p>“-Hello?”</p><p> </p><p>Gravel crunched.</p><p>It was a bicycle.</p><p> </p><p>“Hi”.</p><p>“Hello!”</p><p> </p><p>He grimaced, and she waved excitedly at the newcomer:</p><p> </p><p>A tall woman with a camera around her neck and serious-looking glasses.</p><p>Her striped sweater blended in well with the Autumn Night-</p><p>Couldn’t say the same for their vibrant orange and green aesthetics.</p><p> </p><p>“Is this the Everlock Carnival?”</p><p>“That’s what we were gonna find out!!”</p><p> </p><p>Ro smiled, and it was like sunshine in the middle of the dark.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m Rosanna, and this is Mat-“</p><p>“Safiya”.</p><p> </p><p>She extended a hand to shake.</p><p>He took it.</p><p> </p><p>“Welcome to the Party”.</p><p>“Thanks…looks like it’s in full swing”.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Together, they crossed the bridge.</p><p>It creaked, and occasionally, something sparked-</p><p> </p><p>“Well this isn’t creepy at all”, Mat cracked.</p><p>Ro laughed-</p><p>“It is just me, or are we walking on the same bridge as the Goatman’s?”</p><p>“I think we could riddle ourselves out of trouble if we had to”.</p><p>“I could offer him cookies if they went over to the good side-“</p><p> </p><p>They stepped off.</p><p>Red curtains unrolled from nowhere.</p><p>“Okay-“</p><p>Safiya swept one aside.</p><p>“-Yeah, they’re open-“</p><p>“They are?”</p><p>Ro peeked around her.</p><p>“If they’re not, I want a refund on gas”, Mat complained.</p><p>He poked his head in as well.</p><p> </p><p>Neon colors.</p><p>Disco shine.</p><p>A Ferris wheel, spinning in languid, dazzling circles-</p><p>People chattered.</p><p>Ate popcorn.</p><p>Cotton candy.</p><p>Played throwing games with wooden balls, and walked away with giant, stuffed animal prizes.</p><p>“Ooh!” Ro cried.</p><p>“-I knew it existed!!” Mat cheered.</p><p>“So it does”.</p><p>Safiya silently snapped a photo.</p><p> </p><p>The trio entered the vast promenade together, and were abruptly absorbed into the fun.</p><p> </p><p>“Free food-“</p><p>“Try your luck!!”</p><p>“Anyone want to be entertained?”</p><p> </p><p>-That last one was said by a blue-haired woman in a white jumpsuit.</p><p> </p><p>“Anyone-“</p><p>“Look!” Ro pointed.</p><p>“I don’t have enough life insurance”, Safiya declined.</p><p>“I find clowns delightful”, Mat added, “But I need to get a gift for Steph first-“</p><p>“Steph?”</p><p>“Mat’s wife”.</p><p>“-Aw”.</p><p>The long-haired attendant stood patiently by as he knocked down all three red-nosed critters in quick succession.</p><p>“Go Mat!” Ro jumped up and down excitedly-</p><p>“You win-“</p><p>“-I foresee future Baseball Stardom-“</p><p>Safiya snapped another photo.</p><p>The attendant removed a fluorescent-pink pony from the wall of Prizes.</p><p>“Her name’s Blanche”, he was informed.</p><p>“Hi Blanche!”</p><p>He held the horse close to his chest, and felt sure that his future child would adore her too.</p><p> </p><p>“-Hey, are you guys new?”</p><p> </p><p>No sooner had they left, then they were approached by a man in burnt-brick and checked pants.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah”, Safiya answered.</p><p>“This is our first time here”, Ro nodded.</p><p>“Cool”.</p><p> </p><p>He grinned.</p><p> </p><p>“Name’s Mortimer”.</p><p>“I’m Mat”.</p><p>“Saf”.</p><p>“And Ro”.</p><p>“And this is Blanche”.</p><p> </p><p>-Yes, he introduced the pony.</p><p> </p><p>‘Why not’, he thought to himself, ‘today is a weird and fun day’.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey Blanche”.</p><p> </p><p>-Even better, the dude went with it.</p><p> </p><p>“I hope you continue to have fun here”.</p><p>“Same to you”.</p><p>“-Say my mom’s gonna address the crowd in a bit. You might want to stick around”.</p><p>“Your mom?” Ro said-<br/>“She’s the Mayor”.</p><p>“Wow. So you’re like, the Mayor-In-Training”.</p><p>(Safiya made a Mental Note).</p><p>“I guess”.</p><p> </p><p>He smiled, but this one, didn’t seem as happy.</p><p> </p><p>“See you later”.</p><p>“Bye”.</p><p> </p><p>Mat watched him go.</p><p> </p><p>“. . .That was interesting”, Ro commented.</p><p>“Yup”.</p><p>Safiya re-adjusted her sunglasses.</p><p>“He seems kind-of suspicious to me”, he mused.</p><p>“Maybe he doesn’t want to the Mayor-In-Training?”</p><p> </p><p>Ro shrugged.</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe”.</p><p> </p><p>Safiya snapped another photo.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Next booth, Ro won the game.</p><p>“Score!”</p><p>“Nice one!”</p><p>She’d gotten the ring over the bottle in three tries-</p><p>She was handed a cute, purple dog.</p><p>“This is Blueberry”.</p><p>“Aww, hi Blueberry!!”</p><p>‘I’m going to treasure him forever and ever’.</p><p>“You sure you don’t want anything?” Mat asked Safiya-</p><p>“Yeah, I’m sure”.</p><p>“Okay-“</p><p>“Just seeing this place is an experience enough”.</p><p>-She kept taking pictures, though Ro wasn’t certain of why…</p><p>‘She’s gonna need a lot of photo albums’.</p><p> </p><p>They paused for a moment beside a Devil’s Mouth cutout.</p><p> </p><p>A woman was stalking through the happy fairgoers, eyes searching, searching.</p><p>-She stopped at a popcorn station, and filled a cup.</p><p>Oddly, she was the only person in the Town wearing anything darker than gold.</p><p>Black hair fell over her face.</p><p>‘Who’s that?’ Mat wondered-</p><p>It seemed a little weird for everyone to just ignore her like that-</p><p>“You”.</p><p>He nearly jumped out of his skin!!</p><p>“Me-?”</p><p>“What about him?” Ro asked automatically-</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>Safiya’s finger was poised again, on the shutter-</p><p>“You’re going to die”.</p><p> </p><p>Mat felt his heart thump.</p><p> </p><p>“What?”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>Ro looked from one to the other-</p><p>“The stars”.</p><p>Her eyes oddly glinted-</p><p>“They’ve been telling me things”.</p><p>“What kind of things?”</p><p>-She reached out to pet Blueberry’s head.</p><p>The brunette let her.</p><p>“Shameful things”.</p><p>-She barely caught the words.</p><p>“Why do you think he’s going to die?” Safiya repeated-</p><p>But the woman had melted away too fast.</p><p>‘Why did she leave?’ Ro wondered.</p><p>Mat barked a nervous laugh.</p><p>“That was-different-“</p><p>“……….”</p><p>Safiya stared after her, a contemplative expression replacing her usual calm.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The vibe had changed.</p><p>A nervous hush clouded the fun, as if someone had magically flipped an invisible switch-</p><p>“-It’s the Ferris wheel!” Ro exclaimed, pushing such worrisome ideas as her soul brother suddenly up and dying from her mind-</p><p>“I haven’t ridden one of those in forever!!”</p><p>“Neither have I”, Mat agreed.</p><p>“Nor I”.</p><p> </p><p>Because it was free, the three of them climbed into one seat, though at first-</p><p> </p><p>‘I’ll sit behind them, don’t want to intrude-‘</p><p>“Sorry Miss, all the other spots are taken”.</p><p>‘Crap’.</p><p> </p><p>Wedged into the window seat, she couldn’t help but feel like she was disrupting a family dynamic.</p><p>-The other two didn’t seem to notice, however.</p><p>Which she was thankful for.</p><p> </p><p>‘They don’t have a clue, do they?’</p><p> </p><p>-Nope.</p><p>They were joking, and telling anecdotes, the entire triplicate of revolutions.</p><p> </p><p>‘…’</p><p> </p><p>-She left it alone, and peered over the railing.</p><p>They’d just returned to the highest point of the ride.</p><p>If a person strained their eyesight enough, they could about see three, flickering lights-</p><p> </p><p>Her feet touched ground.</p><p> </p><p>‘-Darn it’.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"That was fun!" Ro beamed, "We should do it again".</p><p>"Yeah, I liked everything but the <em>swaying </em>every time we moved-"</p><p>-An unexpected BLARING!!</p><p>Safiya:</p><p>"Good Day, Sir-!!"</p><p>'Who did that-'</p><p>Claps, and exclamations of goodwill.</p><p>Atop a balcony, a woman with a megaphone appeared, waving benevolently.</p><p>"Thank you...thank you-!!"</p><p>"That's Mortimer's mom!?"</p><p>Ro couldn't believe it.</p><p>"She doesn't look old enough to be his mom!!!"</p><p>"Local politics", was Mat's simple answer.</p><p>"Welcome to the Everlock Carnival!" she went on, "Our town's lifeblood".</p><p>"-I think you mean it's sucking <em>our </em>blood".</p><p> </p><p>It was the woman who'd told them the ominous prophecy.</p><p> </p><p>"Your ritual can't last as a myth forever!"</p><p> </p><p>She pointed accusingly-</p><p> </p><p>"As soon as the bile spills, your charmed lives will dissolve into ash".</p><p> </p><p>The Mayor sighed.</p><p> </p><p>"I wouldn't listen to her words. She's-"</p><p>"You know it's true!!"</p><p>"She lives on the outskirts of town, never been willing to join us-"</p><p>"What's the ritual?" Ro called up-</p><p>"Thank you!"</p><p>She raised her arms in gratitude for bringing affairs back on track.</p><p>"I'm <em>so </em>glad you asked-"</p><p>The clown woman from earlier reappeared, pushing a cart of lime sodas, ales, and strawberry creams-</p><p>"Everyone! Have a drink.</p><p>And may your prosperity for the coming year be assured".</p><p>-As one, the smiling, eager-to-please crowd surged...</p><p>"No! Don't do it!!"</p><p>The woman tried to stop them, but was pushed back.</p><p>"One of you will pay the price-!!"</p><p>Mat swallowed.</p><p>'Yeah-me-'</p><p>But he shook it off.</p><p>'-If I'm gonna die, I may as well know for sure'.</p><p>"Should we do it?" Ro asked-</p><p>"I mean, we do need some form of confirmation", Safiya supposed.</p><p>"I second that".</p><p>His wife was pregnant.</p><p>He needed to know about this, <em>now.</em></p><p>"Okay..."</p><p>They too, approached.</p><p>Mineral water.</p><p>Orangeade.</p><p>Black cherry-</p><p>"1,</p><p>2, </p><p>3-"</p><p>"Drink!" they finished together-</p><p>With a clink!, the trio's bond was complete.</p><p>Bottoms up-</p><p>Ro tasted sweetness on her tongue.</p><p>"Mm-!"</p><p>Safiya smacked her lips.</p><p>"Could use a little more cherry-"</p><p>Mat lifted the cup from his mouth.</p><p>"Huh".</p><p>"What happened?" Ro was the first to say-</p><p>"I don't taste anyth-"</p><p>He suddenly doubled over as the copper sensations of blood and sulfur made themselves known to his throat.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. It All Goes To Ashes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Mat's curse takes effect, and now they need a new plan.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>October 2nd 2020, last Friday.</p>
<p>Cw: Gun violence, blood, implied vomiting. Death. Beaten, stabbed, etc. Clowns. God's name. Implied manipulation.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Mat!?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He could faintly hear Ro-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh my God-“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Safiya-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I-“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He coughed.</p>
<p>Looked uncomprehendingly at the blackish-red stain in the dirt-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m-fine-“</p>
<p>“No, you’re not”.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The woman came up to them, wrinkles etched deeply upon her face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“……It’s just a fluke”, the Mayor recovered, shock and surprise evaporating into self-assured confidence once again-</p>
<p>“He’s not really going to die-“</p>
<p>But the other carnival-goers were whispering to each other.</p>
<p>They wore expressions of abject concern-</p>
<p>“It’s only a myth. Nothing more, nothing less”.</p>
<p>“It’s not ‘just a fluke’!!!”</p>
<p>“Calliope-“</p>
<p>“Not today, Janet!!”</p>
<p>She turned to Mat.</p>
<p>“You need to leave”.</p>
<p>“Leave-?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, let’s get you home…”</p>
<p>Ro worriedly slung an arm through his.</p>
<p>“This is ridiculous!”</p>
<p>The Mayor’s voice rang out above the noise.</p>
<p>“You can’t scare our visitors away, they’ve barely spent any time here!!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>BANG</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mat…felt…faint.</p>
<p>He looked down.</p>
<p>Red spot over his stomach-</p>
<p>He looked back.</p>
<p>Mayor Janet.</p>
<p>Mouth frozen in an ‘O’, of shock. . .</p>
<p>“MOM!!” Mortimer screamed-</p>
<p>Her lifeless body toppled over the railing, and smashed through a colorfully-ribboned platform below.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Headshot.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-Crazed laughter rang out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Gotcha~”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was the blue-haired clown.</p>
<p>With a Glock.</p>
<p>Her white jumpsuit had been exchanged for an extravagant turquoise coat-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘Evil. . .costume. . .switch…..’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-And then he collapsed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ro cried out-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“MAT!!”</p>
<p>“Hurry! Carry him-“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Safiya went to help Calliope hoist him onto their shoulders.</p>
<p>Mayhem was breaking around them-</p>
<p>More clowns.</p>
<p>Crawling from tents, alleyways, manhole covers.</p>
<p>Pastel gore ruled the town as they stabbed, slashed, bludgeoned, and broke.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This way! This way-!!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mortimer was frantically directing survivors to the forest.</p>
<p>They dodged the spillage of battle to get to him-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘Mat. . .please be okay-Please be okay-!!’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Follow the others!” they were directed-</p>
<p>“Come on-“</p>
<p>Calliope led them deep into the darkness.</p>
<p>Safiya felt her investigative senses going off.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘One of those lights was here-‘</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t stop-Just keep going!! Just keep going—“</p>
<p>His fading echo was the last herald of normalcy they would ever be feeling again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>All noise trickled into silence.</p>
<p>The three struggled with their dying friend.</p>
<p>-And he was dying, Ro realized, that wound had bled right through….!!</p>
<p>“Calliope?”<br/>“Yes child?”</p>
<p>“Is there anything we can do!?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She pursed her lips.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Anything!!??”</p>
<p>“. . .I don’t know”.</p>
<p>“What do you mean?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Safiya laser-focused.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Their Forces will be after him from now until the end of the month…and time is frozen here”.</p>
<p>“What forces?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ro was concerned-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“His Forces”.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She glared up at the stars. . .</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They kept going.</p>
<p>Avoiding low branches, avoiding tripping on gnarled roots-</p>
<p>Saf’s new task was pushing away the really creeping ones, the ones that’d try to snag Ro’s beret every so often, and tangle like spiders in Calliope’s hair.</p>
<p>‘How far away is far enough?’</p>
<p>-They stumbled into a clearing.</p>
<p>“-I think we’re lost”, Ro puffed-</p>
<p>“We’re as good as we’re going to get”.</p>
<p>They laid Mat down.</p>
<p>Her fingers glowed golden.</p>
<p>“Woah!?”</p>
<p>Ro’s eyes grew as wide as dinner plates.</p>
<p>“What’s that!?”</p>
<p>“Magic”.</p>
<p>She wafted them over the wound.</p>
<p>He coughed-</p>
<p>“You had that the whole time?”</p>
<p>Safiya secretly pinched herself-</p>
<p>‘Ow-‘</p>
<p>Nope it wasn’t dream.</p>
<p>His eyelids fluttered.</p>
<p>“R. . .o. . .?”</p>
<p>“Mat!!”</p>
<p>She hugged him.</p>
<p>“You’re okay-“</p>
<p>Calliope removed her hand.</p>
<p>“Expect more of these experiences in the future”.</p>
<p>“-I what-“</p>
<p>His two companions helped him sit up.</p>
<p>“What happened-“</p>
<p>“The clowns instigated anarchy”, Safiya explained.</p>
<p>“They did wha-“<br/>“They killed the Mayor”.</p>
<p>Mat went silent.</p>
<p>Ro bit her lip.</p>
<p>“-Where are we…”</p>
<p>“In the forest”, Calliope said, “You’ve been revived”.</p>
<p>“Thanks-“</p>
<p>“It was nothing”.</p>
<p>She stood.</p>
<p>“You’ll have to be extremely careful from now on”.</p>
<p>Her tone was grave-</p>
<p>“I might not be here the next time”.</p>
<p>“Noted”.</p>
<p>Safiya held out a hand to bring him to his feet.</p>
<p>He accepted it-</p>
<p>“Is Everlock-“<br/>“It’s dead”, Calliope confirmed.</p>
<p>-They fell silent.</p>
<p>“I can’t believe this”.</p>
<p>Mat removed his sunglasses and rubbed his face.</p>
<p>“First, I get picked to die, then an entire town is slaughtered-!!”</p>
<p>“What are the Dark Forces?” Ro asked.</p>
<p>“The ones that caused this-“</p>
<p>“They work for the Carnival Master”.</p>
<p>“The what?”</p>
<p>Safiya was already wishing she had time to write this down-</p>
<p>“It’s his doing. All of it. His agents planted an idea, and it’s grown”.</p>
<p>“What idea?”</p>
<p>Ro hung on her words-</p>
<p>“The Drinking Ritual”.</p>
<p>“….Oh”.</p>
<p>“Has anyone else ever ended up ‘marked for death’ or whatever, besides me!?”</p>
<p>“Benjamin was”.</p>
<p>Calliope sighed, remembering.</p>
<p>“He was corrupted at the last minute, so he narrowly avoided losing his soul”.</p>
<p>“. . . .Great”.</p>
<p>“Anyone else?”</p>
<p>Ro was almost scared to ask-</p>
<p>“The Doll Maker. He tried to bargain with him, and was stabbed to death by Twin Dolls”.</p>
<p>“Oh God”, Safiya gulped.</p>
<p>“So no one’s survived before without being swayed to the Dark Side”, Mat wavered, “That’s what I’m hearing”.</p>
<p>“I am afraid that is the case”.</p>
<p>“Great”.</p>
<p>His second uttering of the word, cracked.</p>
<p>“Just great-“</p>
<p>“We can do this”.</p>
<p>Safiya finally pulled out her notepad and a pen.</p>
<p>“It’s been-what? One day?”</p>
<p>“October 2nd—“ Ro stated.</p>
<p>“Only…29 more days to go after this one”.</p>
<p>Mat swayed.</p>
<p>“29-“</p>
<p>“-You won’t have to deal with it alone!!” Ro promised.</p>
<p>“Yeah-we’ll both keep our eyes peeled for trouble”, Safiya agreed.</p>
<p>“Though. . .I don’t know how we’re going to kick those clowns out of there-“</p>
<p>“. . .”</p>
<p>Ro worriedly knit her hands together.</p>
<p>“-Is there something we can do?”</p>
<p>Mat’s face had grown pale-</p>
<p>“There’s gotta be something”.</p>
<p>“I haven’t heard much-“</p>
<p>“I don’t know a lot about Everlock”, Safiya admitted, “But I have a hunch the answer is out here among these trees”.</p>
<p>‘More specifically, one of those Lights-‘</p>
<p>“Then let’s look for it!”</p>
<p>Ro’s eyes sparkled with new hope.</p>
<p>“We can do this”.</p>
<p>“Right”.</p>
<p>Mat put his sunglasses back on-</p>
<p>“It’s only a month-“</p>
<p>‘I have to come back to Steph. I have to’.</p>
<p>“Okay…”</p>
<p>Safiya flipped pages.</p>
<p>“I don’t want to alarm you, but I drew a map of this town and the surrounding areas a while ago.</p>
<p>I can lead us straight there”.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The Happy Fun Times have exited the chat.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A Run-In With The Cursed Blade</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Safiya's knowledge leads them to a horrific trade-off.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Blades, blood, death/near-death. God's name. Brief mentions of clowns. Puppetry.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You have a map?”</p>
<p>‘-Well she must’ve gotten here somehow…’, Ro’s mind supplied as the logical explanation, ‘Otherwise we wouldn’t have met her where and when we did’.</p>
<p>“Yup”.</p>
<p>She smoothed out the crinkles, and unfolded it.</p>
<p>“That’s pretty thorough!!”</p>
<p>“Thanks”.</p>
<p>Safiya’s eyes roved over each neatly-enunciated line-</p>
<p>“I worked off of geographical surveys for weeks”.</p>
<p>“You did!?”</p>
<p>-Her mouth dropped open.</p>
<p>‘WOW’.</p>
<p>That was complicated stuff-</p>
<p>“I am amazed and a little terrified at the exact same time”, Mat praised.</p>
<p>“My coffee receipts went through the roof”.</p>
<p>She turned to Calliope.</p>
<p>“How far outside town are we?”</p>
<p>“Let me see….”</p>
<p>Her eyes roved over the details.</p>
<p>“At least a mile. Maybe two”.</p>
<p>“Whoa”.</p>
<p>Ro was floored-</p>
<p>‘We’re speedy!’</p>
<p>“Alright”.</p>
<p>Her finger drew an imaginary path-</p>
<p>“We’re about-here, then”.</p>
<p>Just shy of the forest center-</p>
<p>“And I saw something up-this way-“</p>
<p>“Where?”</p>
<p>The fingertip hovered. . . . . .</p>
<p>“There”.</p>
<p>A decisive pinpoint.</p>
<p>“What’s that symbol?”</p>
<p>Ro had never seen such an odd-looking stick figure......</p>
<p>“That’s where a Witch Coven used to hang out”.</p>
<p>“Oh...”</p>
<p>She shivered.</p>
<p>“-Were they nice witches?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know”.</p>
<p>Safiya compared their location on paper to reality.</p>
<p>“Let’s find out”.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Grass and leaves crunched.</p>
<p>There was no way they would be able to do this stealthily. . .</p>
<p>‘They might not be guarding them, anyway’.</p>
<p>Safiya had done a lot of research-</p>
<p>Ro shivered, pulled her coat tighter around herself.</p>
<p>Mat unfogged his sunglasses.</p>
<p>It’d grown cold-</p>
<p>Calliope frowned.</p>
<p>“Dark magic lurks here”.</p>
<p>“Had a feeling it would”.</p>
<p>A funeral bier had been set up, and draped in a white fur.</p>
<p>Candles surrounded it, flickering intensely with every brush of the wind.</p>
<p>“What’s that?”</p>
<p>It gave Ro the creeps-</p>
<p>Though the fur did look pretty soft...</p>
<p>‘Maybe in another life, I would’ve bought it for my room-‘</p>
<p>-She could always find a replica on Etsy.</p>
<p>“That...is where they do their sacrifices. I think”.</p>
<p>Safiya gave it a wide berth.</p>
<p>The others did the same-</p>
<p>“Okay, according to my notes, it should be-“</p>
<p>She briefly looked up.</p>
<p>Then down.</p>
<p>“Riiight here-“</p>
<p>“Aww. . .”</p>
<p>Ro peered at a greenish-yellow orb, stuck firmly in a tangle of roots as big as her.</p>
<p>“What is it?”</p>
<p>“I dug up some info on the Carnival Master. He made himself unable to die, in exchange for imprisoning Space, Time, and Reality”.</p>
<p>“And that’s why Everlock’s in permanent October or something?”</p>
<p>“Yup”.</p>
<p>“Oh...”</p>
<p>She poked it.</p>
<p>It sparked.</p>
<p>“-Yikes!”</p>
<p>“Careful!!” Mat yelped-</p>
<p>“. . . . .Not quite sure how to get them out of there, though......”</p>
<p>Safiya ran a finger tentatively down the veins of the earth.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘It’s about time you got here’.</em>
</p>
<p>“-Ohmigod-!”</p>
<p>“What? What happened!?”</p>
<p>Ro’s neck clicked-</p>
<p>“Are the witches back?”</p>
<p>Mat was looking-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘You said you don’t know how to set us free?’</em>
</p>
<p>“-You’re talking”.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>Calliope leaned over-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Only you can hear me’.</em>
</p>
<p>“I’m-okay-“</p>
<p>“Are you sure?”</p>
<p>Ro asked-</p>
<p>Too late, she realized.</p>
<p>‘Crap’.</p>
<p><em>‘Now that we have </em>that <em>out of the way-‘</em></p>
<p>“-Have you established contact?”</p>
<p>“Contact?”</p>
<p>Calliope was staring at her intently-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘I should say so-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“....Yeah?”</p>
<p>“What’s going on?” Ro said-</p>
<p>“Space, or Time, or Reality is talking to me”.</p>
<p>“Does that mean the Stars are like that too?”</p>
<p>-Mat <em>did </em>have a point...</p>
<p>“That’s what I’ve been saying my whole life”, Calliope seconded.</p>
<p>“Which one is it?” Ro wondered.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Free me, and I’ll tell you’.</em>
</p>
<p>“They say ‘Free me, and I’ll tell you’.</p>
<p>Mat shrugged.</p>
<p>“Yeah, you know what, that makes perfect sense, the Universe wants me to die, and we just narrowly avoided a Killer Clown Invasion, and now we’re disrupting a Coven of Witches secret hideout deep in the woods, why <em>wouldn’t </em>we be trying to save someone trapped in an orb in order to drive them out and rescue the town?”</p>
<p>“Wild stuff”, Ro agreed-</p>
<p>“We’ll have a grand ‘ole time”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Yes, now if you don’t mind-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“What’s the catch?”</p>
<p>Safiya glanced around for sweeping ponchos, and gilded horns.</p>
<p>‘No one yet...’</p>
<p>
  <em>‘There’s a knife, embedded in that bier. You have to spill blood to release me’.</em>
</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“What did they say?” Ro was immediately latching onto the spoken word-</p>
<p>“We have to sacrifice someone”.</p>
<p>Safiya removed her finger from the roots.</p>
<p>“With <em>that </em>knife”.</p>
<p>“Oh no...”</p>
<p>Mat smiled in pain.</p>
<p>“No...”</p>
<p>“Is that really the only way?”</p>
<p>It was worth double-checking-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘I saw them do it’.</em>
</p>
<p>“You’re not lying”.</p>
<p><em>‘Why would I lie to the people I </em>want <em>to help me?’</em></p>
<p>“-You make a good point”.</p>
<p>“Well-well maybe they don’t have to die”.</p>
<p>Ro was trying to think-</p>
<p>“Sacrifices don’t-don’t <em>always </em>end in death, do they?”</p>
<p>“Do they?” she asked the orb-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘. . .I didn’t think of it like that-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“Worth trying?”</p>
<p>She shrugged.</p>
<p>“Okay. . .”</p>
<p>The quartet circled the unassumingly sinister altar.</p>
<p>“Who wants to do it?”</p>
<p>Mat gestured to the knife-</p>
<p>Impaled in the bier, as promised.</p>
<p>“-I’ll do it”, Ro declared-</p>
<p>“-Are you certain?” Calliope exclaimed in alarm.</p>
<p>“Yup”.</p>
<p>She rolled up her sleeves.</p>
<p>“I’ll do it-you brought Mat back, if anything goes wrong-“</p>
<p>“It’s not a guarantee for you”, she insisted, “This won’t be magically influenced”.</p>
<p>“I know...but I don’t want anything bad to happen to you guys”.</p>
<p>She grasped the handle of the knife.</p>
<p>“Oh-!?”</p>
<p>A coldness penetrated up her arm.</p>
<p>“Ro?”</p>
<p>Mat looked concerned.</p>
<p>“I’m okay-“</p>
<p>Surprisingly enough, she was able to easily slide it loose.</p>
<p>“There...”</p>
<p>The coldness traveled up to her shoulder.</p>
<p>“It’s all good guys. . .it’s all good-“</p>
<p>She sat down on the edge of the fur.</p>
<p>“Okay. . .okay, we got this-“</p>
<p>She was about to lie back.</p>
<p>“We got it-“</p>
<p>“Be careful, Ro. . .” Mat murmured...</p>
<p>“Good luck”, Safiya added.</p>
<p>“Thank you”.</p>
<p>-Her arm lurched forward.</p>
<p>“-No wait, come back-!!”</p>
<p>“Mat-“</p>
<p>Safiya swept him behind her just as Ro’s rogue arm went swinging.</p>
<p>“What are you doing!? Wh-What am <em>I </em>doing-!??”</p>
<p>She was dragged onto her feet.</p>
<p>“Woah-!??”</p>
<p>The knife took a stab-</p>
<p>Safiya winced as it sliced open her arm.</p>
<p>Mat stumbled into a bush-</p>
<p>“Child, <em>run!!”</em> Calliope shouted-</p>
<p>Ro felt the coldness trickle down her side.</p>
<p>“Haahh....”</p>
<p>She <strong>shuddered.</strong></p>
<p>Her legs froze into <em>blocks-</em></p>
<p>“Uh-oh-!?”</p>
<p>-She promptly sprinted toward him as if she were currently in the middle of a marathon.</p>
<p>His heart jumped <em>right </em>in his throat-</p>
<p>Safiya and Calliope ran after her!</p>
<p>‘What the heck <em>is </em>this!?’</p>
<p>Ro was speeding like one <em>possessed-</em></p>
<p>‘Wait-‘</p>
<p>She chopped at him.</p>
<p>Mat was <em>barely </em>able to roll out of the way-</p>
<p>“I’m sorry!!”</p>
<p>“It’s okay-“</p>
<p>She sliced at him again.</p>
<p>He dodged, his tie being cut off in the process, and abruptly rolled down a hill.</p>
<p>“Woaahhhh-!!???”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Mat-!!”</p>
<p>-The two women flying-tackled her to the ground.</p>
<p>Strong arms pinned Ro’s killer one.</p>
<p>“Safiya! See if you can’t get that out of her hand-“</p>
<p>“I’m on it”.</p>
<p>She <em>pried </em>at the woman’s fingers-</p>
<p>The coldness spread up her other arm.</p>
<p>Safiya was <em>slapped-</em></p>
<p>“I am <em>so </em>sorry!!”</p>
<p>“I know-“</p>
<p>She coughed a mouthful of blood.</p>
<p>“I know...!”</p>
<p>She had to <em>stomp </em>on it.</p>
<p>The knuckles <em>cracked-</em></p>
<p>
  <em>“Ow!!”</em>
</p>
<p>“Sorry, Ro-“</p>
<p>“Owowowowow-it’s okay-!!”</p>
<p>A warm fuzz was starting to creep up her hand-</p>
<p>“Oh, that feels much better-“</p>
<p>The knife slipped through-her palm-</p>
<p>Red flowed. . . . . . .</p>
<p>The coldness drained out....and out........and out..............................</p>
<p>Ro grew very. . . . .very.  .  .  .  .  .  . light-headed .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .</p>
<p>“Quick!”</p>
<p>Calliope scooped her up.</p>
<p>“To the bier-“</p>
<p>“You’ve got it, Mat?” Safiya asked-</p>
<p>“. . .”</p>
<p>“Mat!?”</p>
<p>“I’m good-“</p>
<p>-She could <em>faintly </em>see a thumbs-up upon the horizon-</p>
<p>“Oh thank God”.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Calliope laid Ro upon the bier.</p>
<p>Her face was <em>deathly </em>pale-</p>
<p>“It might be too late”.</p>
<p>“No way”.</p>
<p>Safiya shook her head-</p>
<p>“We gotta heal her!”</p>
<p>Blood was still pouring on the bier.</p>
<p>They could hear the roots receding-</p>
<p>She sent a worried glance their way.</p>
<p>‘C’mon, c’mon, hurry-‘</p>
<p>Calliope wafted golden magic over the woman’s forehead.</p>
<p>The flow ebbed. . . . . . .</p>
<p>“I am afraid the rest is up to her”.</p>
<p>“Ro. . . .”</p>
<p>Two spots of color returned to her cheeks, but that was it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The green orb fluttered through the air.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Is she alive?’</em>
</p>
<p>“-You scared me-!!”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Well you did the job’.</em>
</p>
<p>A mental sniff.</p>
<p>“You want to help us defeat some clowns?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘I’ll do my best...’</em>
</p>
<p>“Thanks......Space, or Time, or Reality”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-Those nicknames really are ironic’.</em>
</p>
<p>“I’ll take your word for it”.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The universe really be out to get Mat here-</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Shooing Out The Clowns</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's time to take back the town.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Death, body horror. Language. Knives. Phys. fighting. Clowns.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It took Mat ten minutes to get back up there, but as soon as he did, they left that horrible place far, <em>far</em> behind.</p><p>“Ro....”</p><p>Calliope had her hoisted onto her shoulders.</p><p>“She’s asleep”.</p><p>“Oh thank goodness-“</p><p>“Yeah....”</p><p>Safiya’s mouth was a grim line.</p><p>“That knife tried to make her kill you”.</p><p>“Where is it?”</p><p>“In the grass”, Calliope said.</p><p>“Good”.</p><p>He let out a breath-</p><p>“-Who’s the orb?”</p><p>They flew around Mat’s head.</p><p>“-If you were trying to tell me something I completely missed it-“</p><p>Safiya blinked.</p><p>
  <em>‘I said-‘</em>
</p><p>“You can’t hear them?”</p><p>“No”.</p><p>“Can you?” Calliope asked-</p><p>
  <em>‘-They can’t hear me, can they’.</em>
</p><p>“-I can”.</p><p>“Why is that?” Mat wondered-</p><p>
  <em>‘It’s because you touched the roots-‘</em>
</p><p>“I touched the roots, apparently-“</p><p>“Curious”.</p><p>Their new ally nodded to a burning fire in the distance.</p><p>“But we may have to save that for another time”.</p><p>“Is that Everlock?”</p><p>Safiya squinted.</p><p>“It’s-“</p><p>“Being destroyed”, she confirmed, “We’ll have to move fast-“</p><p>
  <em>‘I can’t do anything about fire’.</em>
</p><p>“-Can you still take care of the clowns, though?”</p><p>
  <em>‘Yes’.</em>
</p><p>“What did they say?” Mat asked-</p><p>“We can run the clowns to kingdom come but the fire is a no-go”.</p><p>“Oh”.</p><p>“Let’s do it”.</p><p>Calliope had vengeance in her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>-As soon as they crossed over the threshold between tree and street, they were <em>immediately </em>captured by the enemy.</p><p>“Haha-!”</p><p>“Got you!!”</p><p>She kicked back-</p><p>Ro nearly toppled to the ground.</p><p>If it weren’t for a quick shifting of her shoulders-</p><p>‘Too close!’</p><p>“-Let’s be diplomatic here-“ Safiya tried to reason, arms up.</p><p>“-Hey! What’s this thing!?”</p><p>A few menacers in gaudy neon swatted at the floating orb as if they were a wayward firefly.</p><p>
  <em>‘I do NOT think so’.</em>
</p><p>A greenish radiation settled over them, and their eyelids fluttered.</p><p>They dropped to the dirt like ten-pins.</p><p>Slowly dissolving away. . .</p><p>“Whoa...”</p><p>Mat was lowkey amazed but terrified.</p><p>“You just killed our performing partners!!” the Harley Quinn Lookalike shrieked.</p><p>Calliope winced.</p><p>She’d been <em>very </em>stubborn about not-letting-go-</p><p>
  <em>‘They were going to die anyway, at the end of the night’.</em>
</p><p>Safiya pursed her lips.</p><p>-She threw a knee into the crotch of her captor.</p><p>“OW-!”</p><p>They dissolved into choked whimpers.</p><p>The iron grip on her collar released-</p><p>Mat, galvanized, started to beat at his holders’ in-steps with his heels.</p><p>They exclaimed in strings of curses that would make a <em>sailor </em>blue, and let loose-</p><p>Calliope head-butted the lookalike.</p><p>She uttered a short cry, and stiffened.</p><p>Then she sank to the ground.</p><p>“-That was a thing”, Safiya panted.</p><p>“Yeah”.</p><p>Mat glanced toward the town.</p><p>“-You know I used to find clowns delightful?”</p><p> </p><p>Only one tent was surviving and thriving at the same time:</p><p>The Clown Disco.</p><p>Colored lights flashed from within, the upbeat tones of 70’s music bleeding out to the raging streets.</p><p>
  <em>‘Partying ‘til the world ends?’</em>
</p><p>“-I guess”.</p><p>Safiya covered her nose against the smoke.</p><p>‘This talking-in-my-head-thing is gonna take some getting used to’.</p><p>
  <em>‘Fair’.</em>
</p><p>‘-You can hear my thoughts!?’</p><p>
  <em>‘Some’.</em>
</p><p>‘How?’</p><p>
  <em>‘You established a link with me’.</em>
</p><p>‘...Right’.</p><p>She squinted to see if anyone was coming.</p><p>“I think we’re clear-“</p><p>“I sure hope we are”, Mat said.</p><p>“We will need to get pretty close”, Calliope informed them.</p><p>-Then again, they’d made it this far. . .</p><p>Dodging rampant flames, all three broke into a dead sprint.</p><p>Mat’s sunglasses charred.</p><p>Her already-torn sleeve was singed-</p><p>Calliope ducked low.</p><p>The roaring was <em>astronomically </em>loud.</p><p>‘It sounds like a very bad AC crashed and-‘</p><p>She was about to think ‘burned’, but decided against it.</p><p>
  <em>‘Wise choice’.</em>
</p><p>“You can’t come in without a nose”.</p><p>“We <em>have </em>noses!!” was Mat’s indignant reply-</p><p>The tall bouncer blinked.</p><p>“Wait a minute-“</p><p>The green orb zipped around their head in a circle, and they were <em>out.</em></p><p>
  <em>‘You’re welcome’.</em>
</p><p>“Yes, thank you”, Safiya agreed.</p><p>They snuck in.</p><p>Glittering outfits, blacklit stages.</p><p>Fluffed hair, and go-go boots-</p><p>‘Why do I feel like we just stepped back in time for real?’</p><p>
  <em>‘Because you did’.</em>
</p><p>‘True’.</p><p>“Is this all the clowns?” Mat whispered in her ear-</p><p>“I think?”</p><p>“The Head is missing”, Calliope whispered in the other.</p><p>“That’s concerning”.</p><p>
  <em>‘It is only one’.</em>
</p><p>‘Yeah, but that ‘one’ started all of this’.</p><p>
  <em>‘She’s only strong with friends’.</em>
</p><p>-There was a note of disgust.</p><p>‘You know her?’</p><p>
  <em>‘I used to see her around...’</em>
</p><p>‘Okay-‘</p><p>“Well-you’ll never have a better chance...I guess-“</p><p>She lightly shooed them out.</p><p>The green orb fluttered up into the dazzle of the disco ball and-</p><p>They were almost blinded from the sickly flash!!</p><p> </p><p>“What the-!?”</p><p>“What’s happening-!??”</p><p>“My eyes-!!”</p><p> </p><p>‘Karma sure is cruel, isn’t it?’</p><p>-Mat knew he’d hate himself for the thought later, but right now?</p><p>He couldn’t care less.</p><p>‘These are the same people who slaughtered an entire town’.</p><p>He was <em>not </em>inclined to treat them too nicely.</p><p>The trio watched as every single red-schnozed villain crumbled to smithereens.....</p><p>The 70’s music continued blaring.</p><p>.................................</p><p>They fluttered back down.</p><p>
  <em>‘Problem solved’.</em>
</p><p>“Thank you”.</p><p>‘I can’t believe I am congratulating someone for the murder of a dozen-plus killer clowns’.</p><p>Though technically, the clowns had played dirty (and murdered), first.......................</p><p>“....Let’s get out of here”, Mat murmured.</p><p>So they did.</p><p> </p><p>“-Aha!!”</p><p>The Head came flying out of nowhere, massive knife pressed to Mat’s neck!!</p><p>“-Okay, okay-“</p><p>He glared at her running make-up with a mixture of fear and annoyance.</p><p>“You just <em>had </em>to pull a jump scare-“</p><p>“You <em>know </em>I had to!!”</p><p>She growled at him.</p><p>“You killed my entire clan!!”</p><p>
  <em>‘Should’ve been more careful with them, then’.</em>
</p><p>‘-You might want to stay hidden-‘</p><p>
  <em>“You!!”</em>
</p><p>She violently dragged Mat behind her-</p><p>“Owowowowowow-!!!”</p><p>“I should’ve <em>smashed </em>you-“</p><p>
  <em>‘You may want to re-think that statement’.</em>
</p><p>‘Can she hear you?’</p><p>
  <em>‘I have no idea’.</em>
</p><p>“I’m gonna sic <em>her-“</em></p><p>
  <em>‘-No you won’t’.</em>
</p><p>-It came so quickly, that she was surprised.</p><p>‘Who’s ‘her’?’</p><p>
  <em>‘You don’t want to know-‘</em>
</p><p>“I’m gonna <em>do </em>it”.</p><p>A devilish grin.</p><p>“And <em>all </em>of you-!!”</p><p>With her one free hand, she pointed-</p><p>“Are gonna pay!!”</p><p>“Dream on Clown!” Calliope retorted.</p><p>“-You don’t believe me”.</p><p>“You work for the <em>Carnival Master”.</em></p><p>“We’re <em>all </em>connected, b*!”</p><p>“Uh, who’s ‘her’?”</p><p>Mat struggled to speak with the blade puckered flush against his windpipe.</p><p><em>‘If it is who I </em>think-‘</p><p>‘What about her?’</p><p>She started chanting in a strange, unknown language-</p><p><em>‘Then we’re </em>all <em>in trouble’.</em></p><p> </p><p>KA-BOOM!</p><p> </p><p>Lightning bloomed in the sky, vicious and violet.</p><p>In a puff of sinister smoke, a woman emerged.</p><p>Long, black dress, sweeping updo and villainous scepter on hand.</p><p>She was-</p><p>“A Sorceress!??”</p><p>Calliope’s jaw had collapsed to the Fairway.</p><p>“The One and Only”, she purred seductively.</p><p>“What’s the trouble?”</p><p>“The elder idiot’s escaped!”</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>She searched the insolent offenders with her forbidding gaze-</p><p>“There you are”.</p><p>
  <em>‘Safiya-‘</em>
</p><p>With a flick of her hand, the orb was encased in a transparent, purple cube.</p><p>They thudded to the ground, and stuck there-</p><p>
  <em>‘No!’</em>
</p><p>-That was the last thing she heard before the connection cut.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Everyone's favorite villains are back?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Captured</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Mat is in trouble, and so are his friends.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Phys. fighting, death threat/death. A knife. Clown.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Hello-?’</p><p>Nothing.</p><p>‘-That’s not good-‘</p><p>-The fact she’d gotten used to it so quickly kind-of threw her, but oh well. . .</p><p>Calliope was still keeping Ro firmly seated on her shoulders.</p><p>Mat was being held hostage at knifepoint.</p><p>That left her.</p><p>‘-I don’t know, can I be a ninja?’</p><p>The purple cube was right there.</p><p>Resting in the dirt-</p><p>The Sorceress walked towards them.</p><p>Scepter flashing with evil light....</p><p>‘Why do I suspect that’s not going to end well?’</p><p>None of her research had ever prepared her for this-</p><p>‘Just don’t panic-and it’ll be fine’.</p><p>Probably not.</p><p>‘It certainly can’t get much worse’.</p><p>Blasphemous words.</p><p>She thought them anyway.</p><p>‘I’m goin’ for it-‘</p><p>“-Not one step, or I slit his throat”.</p><p>‘-You...not-nice word’.</p><p>“Let go of the boy, Kerrie”, Calliope seethed.</p><p>“Nuh-uh-“</p><p>She grinned.</p><p>“He’s the Carnival Master’s now!!”</p><p>“Guys run!!” Mat shouted-</p><p>“A futile prospect”.</p><p>The Sorceress aimed her magical weapon.</p><p>‘Oh h* no-‘</p><p>A bolt of violet lightning arced right at them.</p><p>“-This way!!”</p><p>Following Calliope’s lead, Safiya left certain death far behind.</p><p>“I’ll come back for you, I swear-!!”</p><p>‘-I don’t know if they heard me or not’.</p><p> </p><p>“Ow-!”</p><p>Mat was shoved roughly into a chair.</p><p>“Okay!”</p><p>The clown woman cheerfully cackled as she bound him to it with rope.</p><p>“What now, Sorcee?”</p><p>“I <em>told </em>you not to call me that”.</p><p>“Hey, I summoned you!”</p><p>Kerrie scoffed-</p><p>“-Acting all high and mighty...”</p><p>-With a thunk, the purple cube was set on the table.</p><p>“What do we do with this bad boy?”</p><p>“Crush them”.</p><p>“-Is that possible?”</p><p>“I don’t know, I’m not the one who made the spell”.</p><p>“-We’ll have to ask him when he gets here”.</p><p>‘The Carnival Master’s coming?’</p><p>His shoulders strained-</p><p>“Ah, ah!”</p><p>Kerrie pointed the knife at him again.</p><p>“No running away, Matthew”.</p><p>“You know my name”.</p><p>“You know mine, now we’re even”.</p><p>“-Is that really your name?”</p><p>“-That’s <em>my </em>secret”.</p><p>“-Fair”.</p><p>He wasn’t exactly in a position to be making demands.</p><p>‘Hope the others are safe. . . .’</p><p>“When is <em>he </em>getting here?”</p><p>Kerrie cackled.</p><p>“Our lovely Day of Halloween!”</p><p> </p><p>They were wedged between a conflagrating gas station, and the forest they’d just left.</p><p>“-We need a new plan”, Safiya panted-</p><p>“Yes”, Calliope agreed, “this fire will burn us out”.</p><p>“Okay. So-“</p><p>When in stressful situations, she liked to re-assess what she already knew.</p><p>“The clown summoned a Sorceress, and they’ve got both Mat, and the Orb”.</p><p>“Indeed they do”.</p><p>She sounded disgusted.</p><p>“You know them?”</p><p>“I used to work for someone. We came in contact with those two often”.</p><p>“Any weaknesses?”</p><p>-She swept the question of who Calliope could’ve been working for to have golden magic, and meet <em>them </em>to the back of her mind for now.</p><p>“Kerrie is mortal, to some degree. We’d have an easier time taking her out compared to the woman whose source of strength comes directly from the Cursed God”.</p><p>“Cursed What?”</p><p>‘-Never read about him in school...’</p><p>“He lurks in the realm between realms. Sadly, he has been smooth enough in the past to manipulate many”.</p><p>“Okay...”</p><p>She looked out at the line of trees.</p><p>“So I think I know where to find the second Orb”.</p><p>“Lead the way”.</p><p> </p><p>“Halloween?”</p><p>-While he was trapped, he may as well glean <em>some </em>information...</p><p>“What happens on Halloween?”</p><p>“Spoilers!” the clown shrilled-</p><p>He grimaced at the pain in his ears.</p><p>The Sorceress grinned evilly.</p><p>“He’s here for what I think he is, isn’t he”.</p><p>“Shh!” the clown hissed again.</p><p>She put a finger to her lips.</p><p>Sorcee rolled her eyes.</p><p>“Please. It’s easy enough to figure out-“</p><p>Mat’s gaze flicked around the tent, searching for anything, anything at <em>all </em>he could use to escape-</p><p>There was a heavy coat in one corner.</p><p>A bunch of rubber masks and make-up in a box.</p><p>. . .</p><p>A very stupid plan was coming into the forefront of his mind...</p><p>‘If I could just get that knife-!’</p><p>She kept swinging it in her hand, irresponsibly, he might add-</p><p>‘They’re not even paying attention to me right now’.</p><p>He glanced toward the cube.</p><p>The orb was radiating angrily, but nothing came of it.</p><p>‘For my sake, and theirs-‘</p><p>-He tested his leg movement.</p><p>If he strained his calf muscles <em>juuust </em>so-</p><p>He lightly hopped the chair a bit.</p><p>-They both stared at him.</p><p>He smiled back, trying to seem as innocent as possible. . . . .</p><p>“-Did he move, or is it me-“</p><p>“You’re the one who threw him in the seat”.</p><p>“I was a bit preoccupied with the ropes, okay??”</p><p>“-Don’t act defensive if you don’t remember”.</p><p>He hopped it again.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Stare.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>“...Are you moving, Mr. Doomed Man?”</p><p>Kerrie leaned in <em>close.</em></p><p>He could smell the cotton candy on her breath.</p><p>‘Should I recommend a brand of mints?’</p><p>-He did not.</p><p>Instead, he head-butt her.</p><p>In the chin.</p><p>“OW-“</p><p>She keeled over-</p><p>-Adrenaline leaped in his veins, and he stomped on her hand.</p><p>Rapidly pulling the knife away-</p><p>“You insolent-!!”</p><p>Purple magic whipped it from the grip of his toe!</p><p>‘-That’s a fail--’</p><p>But he wasn’t done yet.</p><p>He stood up in the chair, and swung it at her.</p><p>“-!??”</p><p>
  <em>What the-</em>
</p><p>Apparently she’d never heard of cartoon physics.</p><p>She went <em>down-</em></p><p>He bounced off her, and ran waist-first into the table’s edge.</p><p>All of the <em>breath </em>whooshed from his lungs--</p><p>She wheeled on him, scepter blazing with purple power of Death.</p><p>He ducked.</p><p>She zapped the cube instead.</p><p>It gleamed in impact-</p><p>The shattering shredded the whole tent.</p><p> </p><p>.                                .                                .</p><p> </p><p>Mat woke.</p><p>His arms were no longer bound uncomfortably to his sides...</p><p>Something flew a rapid circle around his face.</p><p>“Wha-?”</p><p>‘Five more minutes...’</p><p>He shook his fogging head.</p><p>‘No...wait, what happened-‘</p><p>The coat was lying in a heap in the dirt.</p><p>He shrugged it on-</p><p>The box had been overturned, its contents spilling violently out into the street.</p><p>Kerrie was <em>nowhere </em>to be seen.</p><p>(In fact, he had a feeling she was very, very dead).</p><p>He couldn’t find the Sorceress.</p><p>The drag marks were ominous-</p><p>...</p><p>He put them aside.</p><p>‘I have to meet up with Saf and Calliope’.</p><p>He spread the pile with frantic, flying hands.</p><p>-A hockey mask.</p><p>‘Jason Voorhees, eat your heart out-‘</p><p>He slid it over his tired, scared face.</p><p> </p><p>The orange light had been to the East of the ferris wheel.</p><p>-As they crashed through the underbrush, she couldn’t help but wonder if Mat was okay.</p><p>‘The clown’s insane, and that woman means business’.</p><p>She briefly glimpsed Ro’s slumbering form in the darkness-</p><p>‘Please don’t have died in your sleep...’</p><p>Her feet splashed.</p><p>“Huh-“</p><p>Second set.</p><p>Calliope.</p><p>“It’s a lake”.</p><p>Safiya squinted-</p><p>A protruding rock.</p><p>Her eyes picked up on a flicker of amber.</p><p>“Right. There it is”.</p><p>“Be cautious”.</p><p>She nodded-</p><p>‘Will do’.</p><p>............................................................................................................</p><p>Sloshing.</p><p>Sloshing-</p><p>Sloshing...</p><p>They got about halfway when Safiya thought she heard a sound-</p><p>“Was that you?”</p><p>“Was what me?”</p><p>“-Swishing?”</p><p>“It could have been”.</p><p>...</p><p>They kept on walking.</p><p> </p><p>But it happened again.</p><p> </p><p>“Was <em>that </em>you?”</p><p>“It could have been......”</p><p>They reached the base of the formation.</p><p>‘. . . . .9 ft. Maybe 11-‘</p><p>One of them was going to have to climb.</p><p>Though it wasn’t a question of ‘who’, really.....</p><p>“I don’t know”.</p><p>Safiya looked over her shoulder.....</p><p>“I could...maybe do it-“</p><p>“I will keep watch down here”.</p><p>“Okay”.</p><p>-She planted her foot on the rocky surface.</p><p>It was weirdly smooth though, too........</p><p>‘Like lava-no, magma’.</p><p>No-</p><p>She grasped a thick, angled stalk.</p><p>Her soles slipped-</p><p>“Safiya?” Calliope called up from below-</p><p>“I’m fine-“</p><p>She scrabbled for purchase.</p><p>Barely found it-</p><p>‘I’m fine’.</p><p> </p><p>-Feeling an awful lot like the Human Fly, she continued to scramble up there.</p><p>‘Do not try this at home, kids-‘</p><p>The amber glint was rapidly approaching her eye-level.</p><p>‘Yessss-‘</p><p>Taking care not to forfeit her grip in the process, she brushed at it with her fingertips.</p><p>-Green <em>zap.</em></p><p>Her hand was violently repelled-</p><p>And so was she.</p><p>“Safiya!!”</p><p>‘OW-‘</p><p>Open air rushed past her, and then she vanished into the inky-dark water.</p><p>“Safiya?”</p><p>...</p><p>One minute went by, then two.</p><p>“Safiya-“</p><p>Something floated up to the surface.</p><p>But it <em>wasn’t </em>her.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>What could it be?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Undercover In The Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Can he successfully fool the Universe?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: A knife. Talking to God.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Howling.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘That’s a bad sign-‘</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Last he’d checked, Everlock had been <em>clear </em>of werewolves.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The orb zipped agitatedly through the air, and although he couldn’t hear heads nor tails of what they were thinking, it was obvious they were unhappy.</p>
<p>‘If I got stuck in a gelatinous cube for twenty minutes, I would be upset too’.</p>
<p>-He guessed the Sorceress had done it, somehow...</p>
<p>‘That would mean she’d survived the blast’.</p>
<p>-Well, it <em>was </em>her own magic after all...</p>
<p>‘At least nobody and their clown sidekick will know it’s me’.</p>
<p>Hopefully.</p>
<p>-Though he really <em>did </em>have to refresh himself on <em>Friday the 13<sup>th</sup>.</em></p>
<p>‘Oh well. As long as no one expects to do trivia-‘</p>
<p>He sauntered down the thoroughfare, knife in hand, like he utterly deserved to be there.</p>
<p>“Did you see where they went?”</p>
<p>The orb hovered for a second.</p>
<p>-Then it bobbed up and down.</p>
<p>“Cool, because I did not”.</p>
<p>-It sped off.</p>
<p>“-Hey wait-“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>To the casual onlooker it would have been bizarre plus borderline hilarious to see Jason running after Navi from Zelda like he was about to miss the last bus.</p>
<p>However, in these uncertain circumstances, and with creatures of the night somewhere lurking around, the comedic appeal was somewhat lost.</p>
<p>“Can you slow down-“</p>
<p>He hissed.</p>
<p>The neon sign of ‘Fatman Slim’s’ gleamed in a blur as he sped by.</p>
<p>‘That wasn’t there before’.</p>
<p>-Was the town magically expanding?</p>
<p>Safiya would know...</p>
<p>-No.</p>
<p>The orb could <em>not.</em></p>
<p>‘Come on, man-!’</p>
<p>Eyes glinted.</p>
<p>He didn’t dare stop-</p>
<p>But he could’ve <em>sworn </em>he heard rattling.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dodging the half-collapsed, orange disaster that was the gas station, they wound their way into the trees.</p>
<p>-There, the orb stopped.</p>
<p>They wafted in place, indecisive...or just not knowing where to go.</p>
<p>He couldn’t tell which it was.</p>
<p>“They’re in here?”</p>
<p>-The orb bobbed....</p>
<p>“Okay...”</p>
<p>-He wondered how dangerous it would be to call out.</p>
<p>‘Definitely plenty-‘</p>
<p>Howling.</p>
<p>
  <em>Closer.</em>
</p>
<p>‘Fudge-‘</p>
<p>-Maybe they wouldn’t attack him.</p>
<p>Maybe they’d buy his cheap disguise.</p>
<p>Maybe-</p>
<p>“Guess we’re gonna have to play it by ear, then”.</p>
<p>He plunged on ahead.</p>
<p>‘Here’s hoping I don’t regret this-‘</p>
<p>Though really, it was already too late for that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He could sense them as he moved:</p>
<p>Gliding, black shapes amongst the trunks, glowing-red sockets occasionally punctuating the gloom.</p>
<p>‘-Dear God, if I get out of this alive, I promise I’ll be a vegan for the rest of my life-‘</p>
<p>The <em>last </em>thing he wanted to do was be eaten on the spot.</p>
<p>‘That would not be fun. Like, at all-‘</p>
<p>-Why in the world were they waiting to attack!?</p>
<p>Could it be-</p>
<p>He stumbled out past a sign:</p>
<p>
  <em>Crystal Lake</em>
</p>
<p>His feet splooshed-</p>
<p>He couldn’t see where the orb had gone.</p>
<p>Unless they’d gotten grabbed while he wasn’t looking by sinister claws-</p>
<p>‘Doesn’t help that I can’t talk to them like Safiya can!’</p>
<p>He couldn’t see much-</p>
<p>Darn those tiny eyeholes-!!</p>
<p>He nearly tripped flat on his face more than once.</p>
<p>‘This <em>was </em>a stupid idea-‘</p>
<p>And yet...</p>
<p>He heard a splash.</p>
<p>‘What was that?’</p>
<p>-He was fairly sure that people were ahead of him, but he couldn’t be 100% no doubts.</p>
<p>-When he opened his mouth to speak, he tripped and fell.</p>
<p>Cold, metallic-tasting water entered his snoot-</p>
<p>He managed to gather himself, and somehow <em>avoid </em>cussing at the same time.</p>
<p>‘Subtlety MatPat, remember-‘</p>
<p>He saw a shadow whip their head around.</p>
<p>-It <em>wasn’t </em>a wolf.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then he heard a <em>new </em>splash.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘-What was that-‘</p>
<p>Feeling dread creep into his bones, he hurried forward once again.</p>
<p>‘I know <em>I’m</em> supposed to die-‘</p>
<p>Someone please tell him the universe wasn’t trying to gun for them too...............</p>
<p>-He kicked up a wave.</p>
<p>Spluttering, and cursing his wandering thoughts, he re-surfaced to find-</p>
<p>Calliope about to do a hammer-strike on his head.</p>
<p>“WAIT-“</p>
<p>“Mat!??”</p>
<p>She stopped <em>just </em>shy of crushing his skull.</p>
<p>“What on earth are you doing!?? What happened, are you alright-“</p>
<p>“I’m in disguise”, he coughed-</p>
<p>“And yeah, I’m alright-“</p>
<p>Wiping water out of his eyes, he saw Ro leaned into an alcove of the rock.</p>
<p>“Where’s Safiya?”</p>
<p>“She fell-“</p>
<p>His blood <strong>chilled.</strong></p>
<p>“Safiya!??”</p>
<p>He spun around, ignoring the dripping spray.</p>
<p>“Safiya-!!!”</p>
<p>-The water broke.</p>
<p>“-!”</p>
<p>This wasn’t a Disney film, but right then, she sure resembled that one mermaid.</p>
<p><em>“-That </em>was not an experience I ever want to repeat”.</p>
<p>-Then it registered.</p>
<p>“Jason-!??”</p>
<p>“No, it’s me! Mat-“</p>
<p>“-Mat, why are you a campground murderer?”</p>
<p>“I’m trying to not be ‘on-the-radar’”.</p>
<p>“Smart”.</p>
<p>She painfully stood up.</p>
<p>“Ow-“</p>
<p>“Are you okay!?”</p>
<p>He steadied her as she wobbled-</p>
<p>“I’m-alive....”</p>
<p>She put a hand to her head.</p>
<p>Removed it.</p>
<p>“......Does that look like blood to you?”</p>
<p>Calliope ran her golden magic over her skull.</p>
<p>“You should be just fine”.</p>
<p>The quiet relief in her voice spoke volumes.</p>
<p>“Thanks”.</p>
<p>She looked to MatPat.</p>
<p>“You okay?”</p>
<p>“.....Well Kerrie’s definitely dead, but I think the Sorceress dragged herself away-and conjured up a werewolf army”.</p>
<p>“Oh fudge”.</p>
<p>“Yup. . . .”</p>
<p>He glanced nervously back toward woods.</p>
<p>“So that’s a thing-“</p>
<p>Knocking a hand to the side of his mask, the last bits of liquid were shed.</p>
<p>“Other than that, I’m good”.</p>
<p>“Phew”.</p>
<p>He worriedly peeked at Ro.</p>
<p>“How is she?”</p>
<p>“Sleeping....”<br/>“She has not awakened yet”, Calliope added.</p>
<p>“Hope she does, soon. . . . . . . . .”</p>
<p>He really missed his Soul Sister.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-The green orb brushed her hand, and she felt a <em>jolt.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>‘-hear me now?!’</em>
</p>
<p>‘Yeah-I hear you-‘</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Finally!!’</em>
</p>
<p>Like a neon-green firefly, they bobbed indignantly.</p>
<p><em>‘It was </em>cramped <em>in there!!’</em></p>
<p>‘I can imagine’.</p>
<p>She peeled the wet strands of hair out of her face, and sized up the towering structure a second time.</p>
<p>“The next orb is at the top-see that orange light?”</p>
<p>She pointed-</p>
<p>“Yeah...”</p>
<p>Mat had to squint, but-</p>
<p>“I see it”.</p>
<p>He sloshed to the enormous trunk-</p>
<p>“I could <em>try </em>to climb that high-?”</p>
<p>He grimaced.</p>
<p>“I can’t touch it”, she told him, “I tried and I got repelled”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘They wouldn’t want us to be able to free each other-‘</em>
</p>
<p>She heard a growl of frustration.</p>
<p>“However this connection thing works, it’s either gonna have to be Calliope, or you”.</p>
<p>“I can do it as well-“ the woman agreed-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘It may not recognize your magic’.</em>
</p>
<p>“They said your magic might not work?”</p>
<p>-Her lips became a thin line.</p>
<p>‘What’s that about?’</p>
<p>-She guessed she’d tell them later...</p>
<p>“So it’ll be me”.</p>
<p>Mat planted a wet toe.</p>
<p>“Oh it’s slippery-“</p>
<p>“Be careful”, she warned.</p>
<p>“Yes, we can try to catch you, but-“</p>
<p>He half-smiled at Calliope’s reply.</p>
<p>“Thank you for the offer”.</p>
<p>“You are welcome”.</p>
<p>She returned it.</p>
<p>He reached for a handhold.</p>
<p>Grabbed the curve-</p>
<p>Lifted his foot.</p>
<p>Started the dangerous ascent.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Good luck’.</em>
</p>
<p>They said.</p>
<p>Even though there was no way he could hear.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Good luck Mat.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Bury Me And I'll Smile For You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Another sacrifice must be made to recover the Second Orb, and it is not a pleasant one.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Heights, burying alive, slight language, death. Mention of a knife.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Just don’t think about how high up you are, and you’ll be fine’.</p>
<p>-Said no one ever.</p>
<p>‘Don’t you dare look down-‘</p>
<p>No one ever said <em>that, </em>either.</p>
<p>‘Dang it Mat, stop thinking!’</p>
<p>Or tha-</p>
<p>His hand slipped.</p>
<p>‘Mothertruck-!!’</p>
<p>He slid down two meters, his <em>pinky </em>toe jamming into the tiniest of gnarls-</p>
<p>‘I hereby declare this an occupational hazard!!’</p>
<p>He huffed.</p>
<p>Tried to control his erratic breathing.  .. .. . . .</p>
<p>‘.....It’s not that far away’.</p>
<p>The bright, orange glow-</p>
<p>‘I can do it’.</p>
<p>Fingers white-knuckling, <em>trembling </em>with strain, he forced himself further up to the spot where he’d lost ground.</p>
<p>‘It’s not that far away’.</p>
<p>(He <em>really </em>hoped it wasn’t).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>...</p>
<p>Ro’s eyelids. . .</p>
<p>Fluttered-</p>
<p>‘Huh-?’</p>
<p>She had vague, <em>vague </em>memories of holding a knife-</p>
<p>“Mat!? Safiya?”</p>
<p>She was awake, and sitting on a rock, and staring at Calliope, and a bedraggled person in a red-and-cream-striped sweater-</p>
<p>“There you are!!”</p>
<p>“Hey, Ro”.</p>
<p>The person waved while a green orb hovered by their collar.</p>
<p>“Feeling better?”</p>
<p>“Yeah”.</p>
<p>She rotated her shoulders.</p>
<p>Flexed her hand.</p>
<p>“Much better”.</p>
<p>“That’s good to hear”.</p>
<p>Calliope flashed a brief smile, and then her attention was up above.</p>
<p>“Where’s Mat?”</p>
<p>“Climbing...we found the second orb”, Safiya explained.</p>
<p>“-Up there!??”</p>
<p>She didn’t <em>need </em>to see the writing on the wall-</p>
<p>She twisted around, and craned her neck!!</p>
<p>“Oh. . .Mat! Please be careful-!!”</p>
<p>She hopped down.</p>
<p>A tiny splash!, arose-</p>
<p>“We’re all waiting for you-!!”</p>
<p>She waved.</p>
<p>-He looked for a split-second instant, and fluttered his hand back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The orange light flickered-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Well, it’s about time!!’</em>
</p>
<p>“Uh-hi-“</p>
<p>His fingertips had barely brushed-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘You’re here to get me out’.</em>
</p>
<p>“-That was the plan...”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Thank God! This tree is overrated’.</em>
</p>
<p>“Okay...”</p>
<p>-He tried not to pay attention to how high he was.</p>
<p>“Do I have to do anything more, or-?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘How should I know?’</em>
</p>
<p>“You didn’t hear your captors talking-“</p>
<p>A snarl-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘If I <strong>ever </strong>meet them-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“Ooookay then”.</p>
<p>Mat felt over the rock.</p>
<p>“I’m gonna try to pry you loose, then-“</p>
<p>
  <em>‘You better’.</em>
</p>
<p>‘Why do I have to deal with the snarky one?’</p>
<p>Didn’t help that he had <em>no </em>idea how the other orb acted except for responses from Saf.</p>
<p>‘I really wanted to talk to another Nikita tonight-‘</p>
<p>She always had a way of pushing buttons, even when she <em>wasn’t </em>intending to.</p>
<p>But now wasn’t the time to be sucked into Memory City-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘No duh’.</em>
</p>
<p>“-Wait, you can read my thoughts?”</p>
<p><em>‘We </em>are <em>connected-‘</em></p>
<p>“Right....”</p>
<p>He grimaced.</p>
<p>‘Oh boy. . . .’</p>
<p>He strained to see anything interesting-</p>
<p>The pads of his fingers were going to hate him tomorrow for sure.</p>
<p>‘Assuming tomorrow ever comes-!’</p>
<p>-Divots in the wood.</p>
<p>“-Hey, I found something!!”</p>
<p>“What!??” Safiya called from below.</p>
<p>“’Bury..A..Friend-‘”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘What is this, Prime Time Radio!?’</em>
</p>
<p>“That’s a bad idea!!” Ro cried.</p>
<p>“-I agree-“</p>
<p>“And yet...”</p>
<p>Calliope sloshed through the water-</p>
<p>“It’d be only too easy to sink someone”.</p>
<p>“No way”, Ro said, “W-We don’t have to-We didn’t have to kill anybody for the last one!”</p>
<p>“You almost died”, Safiya reminded her.</p>
<p>Mat set his jaw.</p>
<p>“We were able to save her, though-“</p>
<p>“Maybe we can save. . . . .”</p>
<p>Ro echoed, a pained expression passing over her face.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Good luck. Didn’t help us any...’</em>
</p>
<p>“-Hey, we’re helping you now, aren’t we?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘....Touché’.</em>
</p>
<p>He sniffed.</p>
<p>‘It could’ve been worse-Ro could’ve found them instead of me’.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘I’m still on your wavelength you know’.</em>
</p>
<p>“We must make a decision, and fast”.</p>
<p>Calliope.</p>
<p>“The werewolves’ snarling-it’s getting closer”.</p>
<p>“-Oh crap”.</p>
<p>He caught Safiya looking to the woods-</p>
<p>“You’re right-I can see the eyes-“</p>
<p>“....I don’t like this-“</p>
<p>Ro sounded as if her voice was cracking.</p>
<p>“Okay, let’s think-“</p>
<p>Saf pressed her hands to her head.</p>
<p>“We could be lucky again-“</p>
<p>“. . . . .But you and Mat have the orbs, right?”</p>
<p>Mat realized.</p>
<p>“Ro <em>no-“</em></p>
<p>“-You need Calliope for the magic, so........”</p>
<p>Ro’s gaze dropped to the water.</p>
<p>“I could-“</p>
<p>“Child, there is still one orb left to wield”.</p>
<p>“Yeah...and you’d be there, right? If anything happens to Mat.......”</p>
<p>She started to move away.</p>
<p>She shrank an inch-</p>
<p>“Ro!! <em>Don’t-“</em></p>
<p>
  <em>‘Don’t let go, you-!!’</em>
</p>
<p>She kept backing up.</p>
<p>“Ro-“</p>
<p>Safiya reached out and caught her arm.</p>
<p>“We’ll get them down another way-“</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her muscles were straining.</p>
<p>That wasn’t a good sign-</p>
<p>‘C’mon-‘</p>
<p>“Don’t do this-“</p>
<p>She was sinking, deeper.</p>
<p>“I love you guys”.</p>
<p>Safiya hung on until an emerald-green limb was the only grip she had.</p>
<p><em>“Ro!!” </em>Mat screamed from somewhere above-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘It is almost complete’.</em>
</p>
<p>-She’d almost forgotten about her new, green confidante...</p>
<p>“It can’t be. She’ll drown in there!!”</p>
<p>Calliope was already digging in the mud, calling her name.</p>
<p>“-Can you hear me? Where are you-“</p>
<p>Her knuckles were starting to turn white.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘That’s the point’.</em>
</p>
<p>“-Yeah, I didn’t need to know that-“</p>
<p>Despite how she’d planted her heels in the liquid murk, the woman’s last traces were steadily sucked from her hands.</p>
<p>“Ohhh God-“</p>
<p>
  <em>“ROOO!!!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>‘......’</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>-He felt the rock splinter under his weight.</p>
<p>“No-No-!!”</p>
<p>-With a thunderous <strong>CRASH</strong>, the whole structure broke apart at once into rubble.</p>
<p>He tumbled through the air, orange light flickering in and out of blurred eyes-</p>
<p>He splashed.</p>
<p>Coolness.</p>
<p>-It warmed suddenly.</p>
<p>The amber orb, and his fingers fluidly closed around it-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘YES freedom-‘</em>
</p>
<p>He couldn’t bring himself to be as hyped.</p>
<p>He swung himself upward, toward the surface.</p>
<p>“-Mat-“</p>
<p>“Mat!”</p>
<p>“Are you okay!?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘He appears to be-‘</em>
</p>
<p>‘Huh-‘</p>
<p>He spit water, and ripped off the false mask.</p>
<p>“Why did it have to be you!??” he cursed to no one.</p>
<p>.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He could hear Safiya’s ‘friend’, talk, now....</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Almost out’.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Yeah. If we could just ditch the stupid magic prisons-‘</em>
</p>
<p><em>‘That </em>would <em>be greatly appreciated...’</em></p>
<p>“.....You guys do realize Ro just. . . .disappeared...”</p>
<p>She could assumedly hear his, too.</p>
<p>‘Like they’re a friend of mine-‘</p>
<p>They didn’t seem to regret that she was gone.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Of course. I do owe her somewhat, for making this possible-‘</em>
</p>
<p>-Well, okay, maybe one had redeeming qualities, at least-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-Compared to who’s left, her sinking’s probably better’.</em>
</p>
<p>“Will you <em>stop </em>sounding like Nikita!?” he snapped-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Who the h* is that?’</em>
</p>
<p>“Nevermind”.</p>
<p>He trudged further into the forest, heart aching.</p>
<p>He’d just lost his Soul-Sister for good.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Poor Ro can't catch a break, sadly.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Underside Waterfire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>What happens to Ro now?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Drowning, knife mention, fire, yelling. Darkness. Death threat? Grief. A troublemaker. God's name.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It wasn’t as bad as she’d expected it to be.</p>
<p>It was wet, yes it was.</p>
<p>And it was dark.</p>
<p>It tasted grimy, and that was <em>disgusting-</em></p>
<p>Ro tried to keep her mouth, shut.</p>
<p>‘I’m sorry, guys....’</p>
<p>
  <em>Mat.  ..    ...</em>
</p>
<p>‘I hope it helped-‘</p>
<p>Her senses were dulling.</p>
<p>She’d be out of it, soon...</p>
<p>‘I love you’.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>She woke up.</p>
<p>‘Huh-‘</p>
<p>She was lying flat on a rough surface.</p>
<p>A mouth arced above her, made of packed dirt.</p>
<p>Water dripped from the corners.</p>
<p>It smelled oddly. . . .<em>not </em>disgusting.</p>
<p>‘Where am I?’</p>
<p>She gingerly sat up-</p>
<p>“Ouch-!”</p>
<p>Her arm hurt.</p>
<p>Maybe having been bent from the pressure-</p>
<p>‘What happened?’</p>
<p>She’d been supposed to die...right?</p>
<p>‘-I mean, I’m glad I’m alive, but--’</p>
<p>She hadn’t known there were tunnels in Everlock.</p>
<p>Or at least, below that big lake.</p>
<p>“Mat?” she called-</p>
<p>No answer.</p>
<p>“Safiya! Calliope-“</p>
<p>No green or orange glimmers of glow, either.</p>
<p>“Oh. . .okay...”</p>
<p>She tried to psyche herself up.</p>
<p>“It’s just me...okay!”</p>
<p>She could handle this. . . . . . . .</p>
<p>She’d survived a bunch of Killer Clowns.</p>
<p>A Demonic Knife!</p>
<p>A nasty Sorceress-</p>
<p>“Okay-“</p>
<p>She looked to the left, and behind her.</p>
<p>A big hole gaped.</p>
<p>‘I wonder if I can climb these walls’.</p>
<p>-Marshy, and v-e-e-e-r-y slidy.</p>
<p>No sooner had she gotten a couple feet, then she found herself slipping back down.</p>
<p>‘No go on that-‘</p>
<p>She walked painfully over to the circle-shaped slice of space.</p>
<p>-A light breeze wafted her hair.</p>
<p>She started-!</p>
<p>“-Hello!?”</p>
<p>She couldn’t see a thing-</p>
<p>It was pitch-dark.</p>
<p>“. . .”</p>
<p>Maybe it was just a random shaft.</p>
<p>Maybe it was a strangely-formed sinkhole-</p>
<p>She leaned forward for a better look.</p>
<p>-Her foot, flew--!!</p>
<p>“Whoops-“</p>
<p>Emptiness swooped in all around her, and she let out a cry.</p>
<p>‘-Whoah-uh-oh-!!!’</p>
<p>-Her gravity, flipped, and she began to spy the tiniest light at the end of the fall.</p>
<p>She squinted-</p>
<p>It flooded.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>.</p>
<p>‘Oof...my head. . . . .’</p>
<p>She picked herself haphazardly up from the ground.</p>
<p>‘-That was different’.</p>
<p>If she’d wanted to be air-blown, she would have gone home to get her hair-dryer.</p>
<p>‘Welcome...to...’</p>
<p>A mildewed sign on the wall.</p>
<p>‘Wonderland......?’</p>
<p>-It didn’t seem like much.</p>
<p>(Which she immediately felt bad for thinking-)</p>
<p>A round chamber, not too big, not too small-</p>
<p>A rusted rabbit hutch with the door open held a few moldy pieces of otherwise tasty-appearing cake.</p>
<p>And a bunch of old wardrobes and cloudy jars shoved into the corners.</p>
<p>One corner.</p>
<p>‘At least it’s cozy’, she had to admit.</p>
<p>‘But I can’t stay here’.</p>
<p>Now that she’d somehow been given a chance to live again (her second!) she <em>had </em>to find some way to the surface!</p>
<p>To her soul sibling-</p>
<p>‘Let’s see what we can find’.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Carrying along the amber orb was like toting in the palm of one’s hand, a pint-sized torch.</p>
<p>The werewolves didn’t <em>dare </em>get too close for fear of being burned, and to be honest, that was just fine with him.</p>
<p>‘I’m not feeling particularly disposed to the Carnival Atmosphere at the moment. . . .’</p>
<p>He’d <em>lost </em>Ro.</p>
<p>Thanks to some stupid rule of some stupid creep.</p>
<p>He couldn’t <em>wait </em>to undo whatever it took to unleash that crap.</p>
<p>And if that meant he had to singe some fur.......</p>
<p>“-Oh boy. It’s still bad”, Safiya remarked as they approached the piercing heat for hopefully the final time.</p>
<p>“Surprise, surprise”, he replied grimly.</p>
<p>“Good luck”.</p>
<p>Calliope’s hands glowed with runes anyway, most likely in case he got charred.</p>
<p>Or in case the universe sent him more potshots.</p>
<p>‘I never realized how <em>annoying </em>it is to constantly fear for your life’.</p>
<p>He held up the orange sphere.</p>
<p>“You ready?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Are you kidding? Fire is what I <strong>do’.</strong></em>
</p>
<p>He rolled his eyes, and lobbed the snarking spirit over town lines.</p>
<p>-His phone rang.</p>
<p>“Aaaahh-!!”</p>
<p>Safiya yelped-</p>
<p>“Who is it?” Calliope hissed.</p>
<p>“Darn it-!”</p>
<p>He dug the singing device from his pocket, and swiped.</p>
<p>“I thought I had this on Mute!”</p>
<p>“It talks?”</p>
<p>Calliope had a confused expression on her face.</p>
<p>“Occasionally”.</p>
<p>“Siri does”, Safiya added, “Aaand Alexa”.</p>
<p>“-The Future is stranger than I could have ever imagined”.</p>
<p>-He didn’t have time to think too much about that statement because as soon as he flipped the bar. . . .</p>
<p>“Mat! Oh Thank God I caught you”.</p>
<p>“Nikita!?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>While the trio were occupied by a fourth, uninvited Guest, other funny business was going on.</p>
<p>That is-</p>
<p>The raging conflagration that had been set by invaders was poised to meet its match.</p>
<p>Rather than thumping to the dusty earth and rolling into a gully or something like a bright, winking marble, the newly-freed orb instead floated above the blaze.</p>
<p>Gleaming like a spark, they sucked in every last flammable remnant-</p>
<p>And then exploded.</p>
<p>“-!! Look out!” Safiya yelled-</p>
<p>
  <em>They ducked-</em>
</p>
<p>The scent of smoke and wood rushed over them-</p>
<p>As did the thick clouds of debris.</p>
<p>“Hey watch it!!” Mat shouted-</p>
<p>“On your side here-“</p>
<p>Safiya aimed her voice higher than the echoes of cacophony and didn’t quite make it.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Huh. He’s still got it’.</em>
</p>
<p>“That’s great-could’ve used a warning-“</p>
<p>Calliope stayed silently stoic.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>‘How was that? I did good, didn’t I?’</em>
</p>
<p>The orange orb zooms proudly down-</p>
<p>“Fire’s gone. . . .” Mat had to admit.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-Yes, I’m awesome-!!’</em>
</p>
<p>“-What are you guys doing over there!??”Nikita shrilled over speaker-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-Who invited the banshee!?’</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>‘I don’t know, she just appeared’.</em>
</p>
<p>“Did something just <em>blow up-!??!?”</em></p>
<p>“We’re fine-just a little mussed. . . . “</p>
<p>Safiya wiped black dust from her clothes.</p>
<p>And her hair.</p>
<p>And her-</p>
<p>“What are you guys into over there!??”</p>
<p>“I’m-okay, it was a fun carnival until everything started trying to kill me”.</p>
<p>“WHAT!??”</p>
<p><em>‘Ears-!’ </em>Safiya’s orb yelped-</p>
<p>“Oy”, was her only response.</p>
<p>“It’s a really long story-“</p>
<p>“Yeah, you’d <em>better </em>tell me about it-!”</p>
<p>“What’s up?”</p>
<p>Mat had suspicions-</p>
<p>“Where in this ‘carnival’ are you?”</p>
<p>“We’re on the outskirts-“</p>
<p>“It was kind-of burning down a few seconds ago”.</p>
<p>“-Who’s that with you?”</p>
<p>“Safiya. Hi-“</p>
<p>“Yeah, we...negotiated that already-“</p>
<p>Mat shot a glance at Calliope.</p>
<p>She was staring at the phone in an awed manner-</p>
<p>“There’s also this very nice woman named Calliope-“</p>
<p>He couldn’t tell her about Ro.</p>
<p>“Why do you ask-“</p>
<p>“Because Everlock apparently <em>died </em>in 1970-“</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Another one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. One Here, One Missing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nikita briefly becomes a fourth-party-member, and Ro continues her escape.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Discussed death, knife mention, the dark, falling.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“-What?”</p>
<p>One word.</p>
<p>Just. . .’what’.</p>
<p>“It can’t exactly be dead if we’re standing in it-“</p>
<p>“Okay, but just-listen!!”</p>
<p>He heard her fidgeting-</p>
<p>“I was complaining to Manny about the litter, and he said something, and so I looked it up, and then-“</p>
<p>“And then?”</p>
<p>“The whole place burned down in a Clown Invasion years ago! But guess what?”</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>-More fidgeting.</p>
<p>“This shady-looking dude named the Carnival Master placed a Curse onto the Church,  declaring that ‘He, and all Those like him’ would be back in 500 years”.</p>
<p>“500?”</p>
<p>. . . . . 1970 to 2020.</p>
<p>Roughly.</p>
<p>“Couldn’t he have waited until next Halloween!?”</p>
<p>“-You don’t mess with Revenge, MatPat!”</p>
<p>“So what messed him up the first time?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know-“</p>
<p>“Darn”.</p>
<p>Safiya’s mouth had formed an ‘O’, and Calliope was looking very grim.</p>
<p>‘Wait, I wonder if <em>she </em>knows-‘</p>
<p><em>‘Just your luck’, </em>the green orb remarked.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Hey, it was good for us!’</em>
</p>
<p>-That was the orange one.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘True-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“You’ve got to get out of there, <em>now!!” </em>she shrilled-</p>
<p>“....It’s kinda too late for that-“</p>
<p>
  <em>“WHAT!??”</em>
</p>
<p>“It’s a long, sordid story-“</p>
<p>“We’ll tell you about it on our way to fight the Wicked Sorceress”, Safiya chimed in-</p>
<p>“-You guys can’t be serious”.</p>
<p>“Oh, we’re plenty serious”, he reassured her.</p>
<p>“May the Stars be with us”, Calliope murmured to the Heavens.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Scrabbling around the dimly-lit hole, Ro eventually uncovered a flat door.</p>
<p>Literally.</p>
<p>‘My poor gloves-!’ she lamented, as they steadily became caked with dirt-</p>
<p>‘Oh well. It’s for a good cause-‘</p>
<p>A big keyhole.</p>
<p>‘Oh dear-‘</p>
<p>-Now what was she going to do about that?</p>
<p>‘Hmm. . .’</p>
<p>She poked out the crust in the indentation, and knocked.</p>
<p>The crisp sound echoed-</p>
<p>‘No one’s home, I guess’.</p>
<p>Maybe that was a good thing.</p>
<p>‘Can I pick it?’</p>
<p>Her hands patted-down her pockets, to no avail-</p>
<p>Wait!</p>
<p>‘The knife-!’</p>
<p>She wasn’t sure if she still had it.</p>
<p>‘It could be useful-‘</p>
<p>Granted, she was unsure that would even work, but-</p>
<p>‘It’s worth a try’.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She didn’t have it on her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘Oh...okay...’</p>
<p>Plan B.?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She opened one of the massive wardrobes.</p>
<p>Spiderwebs, and dust, rained all over her face-</p>
<p>She coughed.</p>
<p>‘Oof-!’</p>
<p>Old clothes.</p>
<p>Musty.</p>
<p>She fumbled a grayish off the hanger-</p>
<p>‘Let’s see if you’ll fit’.</p>
<p>This would be her first time entering a doorway like that...</p>
<p>‘I bet G**gle would know if I could do it’.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She inserted the scoopy part into the impression, and jiggled it around.</p>
<p>-A lot more of it went inside than she was expecting.</p>
<p>“Woah-!”</p>
<p>She almost fell flat on her nose!!</p>
<p>‘Yikes-‘</p>
<p>-But she kept at it anyway. . .</p>
<p>‘There we go...’</p>
<p>She could almost feel...something <em>clicking </em>at the other end.</p>
<p>‘I’ve-got it-‘</p>
<p>The door gave.</p>
<p>Inward.</p>
<p>“-!?”</p>
<p>She tumbled into the small space-</p>
<p>Her startled cry was swallowed up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now that the promenade was devoid of fiery destruction and evil, red-nosed killers, it was eerily devastated.</p>
<p>Eerily quiet. . .</p>
<p><em>‘Man, what a dump!’ </em>the orange orb complained.</p>
<p>“’Dump’, would be putting it lightly”.</p>
<p>Safiya nudged a charred streamer out of the way with her toe-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘I second that’.</em>
</p>
<p>The green orb floated cautiously alongside...</p>
<p>“I can’t believe you’re stuck here for a month!”</p>
<p>Nikita was continuing to be on the phone.</p>
<p>-While he was unexpectedly grateful(?) for her to be checking up on him, he also would have appreciated being able to catch up to the elaborately-coiffed woman in <em>silence.</em></p>
<p>“-Can you please call Steph, tell her we’ll be awhile, but that we’ll be alright? I have her number memorized-“</p>
<p>“Of course you do, you Loverboy-“</p>
<p>He ignored the blatant teasing-</p>
<p>‘She’s not exactly some fling-‘</p>
<p>She was the best person to ever happen to him, and that was the fact.</p>
<p>“Don’t you have a video with Manny and Bretman to be filming?”</p>
<p>“I would, but one’s late, and the other’s off in Hawaii”.</p>
<p>“Congrats to him”.</p>
<p>“Yeah...I just miss him”.</p>
<p>“...”</p>
<p>He ahemed awkwardly-</p>
<p>“Well...like I said, her number is-“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>.                                                                                   .                                                                                     .</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After she’d hung up, he sighed, and hit ‘Silent’.</p>
<p>Safiya raised her eyebrows at him.</p>
<p>His shoulders sagged.</p>
<p>“An old acquaintance of mine”.</p>
<p>“Cool”.</p>
<p>“She sounds quite loyal”, Calliope mentioned.</p>
<p>“She tries. . .”</p>
<p>He shook his head.</p>
<p>“She’s often in hot water a lot”.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, I know”.</p>
<p>Safiya had a strained smile.</p>
<p>“You do?”</p>
<p>“Yes-I work at the Local Newspaper back in my town. Social Media drama can ruin every career except hers, apparently-“</p>
<p>-He got the sense she didn’t like her.</p>
<p>“That would explain the Map thing”.</p>
<p>“Yup”.</p>
<p>‘So what kind of story is she investigating, then?’</p>
<p>She didn’t seem too forthcoming on it, anyway-</p>
<p>“Look out!!”</p>
<p>-Calliope shoved him from the path of a falling sign!</p>
<p>“-Huh-!??”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>CRASH!!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He gulped.</p>
<p>‘That could’ve taken off my <em>head-‘</em></p>
<p>It was a large Devil cut-out.</p>
<p>“Appropriate for the territory”, his other companion noted.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Look at that-‘</em>
</p>
<p>The green orb fluttered to indicate an ornately-simple white building.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Speak of the Church, and there it is’.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘Ouch. . . . ......’</p>
<p>Rosanna groaned, and sat up.</p>
<p>‘Where am I?’</p>
<p>She glanced upwards.</p>
<p>Faaaaar above, she couldn’t even see the door.</p>
<p>‘Uh-oh...’</p>
<p>That wasn’t good....</p>
<p>‘I don’t think it’s gonna be easy to get back up there’.</p>
<p>She glanced to her front.</p>
<p>She remembered the curling roots.</p>
<p>She remembered the smooth, craggy rock-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This was a pedestal.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It had marble flowers carved into it-</p>
<p>‘Wow...’</p>
<p>She stood up, wincing at the ache in her limbs, especially her <em>ankle-</em></p>
<p>‘Hope I didn’t break that-‘</p>
<p>Unlike Wonderland, the cavern was full of shadowy darkness.</p>
<p>As she walked closer, she could see a faint, blue glow-</p>
<p>‘-! Is it-!?’</p>
<p>-She ran to it.</p>
<p>‘Oh my goodness, it is-!!’</p>
<p>A gleaming, bright-blue orb.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And to say Mat had a <em>terrible </em>feeling about that would be the <em>biggest </em>understatement.</p>
<p>“-Yeah, I don’t think we should go in there-“</p>
<p>“Not so soon”, Calliope agreed, “The third orb has yet to be found”.</p>
<p>“-They can stop the Carnival Master guy?” Safiya queried.</p>
<p>“I am not certain. . .but there must be a reason for why they were sealed-no I <em>know </em>there is”.</p>
<p><em>‘-We’re like, right here’, </em>the orange orb snarked.</p>
<p>The green orb stiffened in midair-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-You were saying?’</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Just more and more questions.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Last Sacrifice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>There's something a bit wrong.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Mention of betrayal, sacrifices, death, hypnosis. Identity trouble. Almost violent death, injury.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>‘-No. Don’t tell me-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“What’s wrong?”</p>
<p>-Safiya was <em>instantly </em>on her toes, scanning the surrounding remains for danger...!!</p>
<p>The orange orb sparked a little.</p>
<p>Mat yelped.</p>
<p>“Hey-!”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Sorry-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“What is the matter?” Calliope repeated, much more calmly.</p>
<p>The green orb hissed.</p>
<p>A radioactive flash, quickly fading.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Your lost friend must have found him’.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘Pretty carving.  .  .’</p>
<p>I run my finger over it.</p>
<p>My veins glow-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Well hello.</em>
</p>
<p><em>What unfortunate luck brings </em>you <em>down here?’</em></p>
<p>“...I’m supposed to be dead, but I’m not”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Interesting to hear. So am I’.</em>
</p>
<p>They pulsate, paler light playing over the shadows, and over me.</p>
<p>It’s...kind-of hypnotic, actually-</p>
<p>“Are you trying to hypnotize me?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Sadly, that’s not one of my talents’.</em>
</p>
<p>“Oh good”.</p>
<p>-Whoops.</p>
<p>“I mean...not that hypnosis in general is a <em>bad </em>thing, it’s just-!!”</p>
<p><em>‘It </em>is <em>easily abused, isn’t it’.</em></p>
<p>“. . . . Not where I come from?”</p>
<p>-At least, if it <em>has </em>been, I haven’t heard a thing...</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Lucky you’.</em>
</p>
<p>I don’t know why, but I have the urge to gulp.</p>
<p>“Um...we found your friends already-“</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Friends?’</em>
</p>
<p>“Yeah-Your orange and green ones!”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Oh no, they don’t like me’.</em>
</p>
<p>“...Why not?”</p>
<p><em>‘Well he </em>did <em>trick me into imprisoning them after all...’</em></p>
<p>“’He’....the Carnival Master!?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Mhm. . .’</em>
</p>
<p>“I see...”</p>
<p>. . . . . I guess that would do it, wouldn’t it.</p>
<p>“Well...we saved them, but they’re still stuck as orbs”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Fun’.</em>
</p>
<p>“Yeah...and now. . .I’m gonna try to save you!”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Are you sure you want to do that?’</em>
</p>
<p>“Yes!”</p>
<p>I look around for writing.</p>
<p>Anything.</p>
<p>‘It’ll probably be something death-related again. . .’</p>
<p>I blink, and spots flash in my eyes.</p>
<p>I rub at them.</p>
<p>“Hmm...”</p>
<p>I squint.</p>
<p>It almost...looks like. . .</p>
<p>Writing?</p>
<p>Underneath the swirls-</p>
<p>The odd designs-</p>
<p>‘What does it...say-‘</p>
<p>My head begins to ache, just trying to track it.</p>
<p>“. . .You have any paper to make notes on?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘No’.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oof.</p>
<p>Okay-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“’What’s. . .my.  .  .name?’”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘Huh...it’s different-‘</p>
<p>“No one’s going to die?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Die?’</em>
</p>
<p>“The last ones wanted sacrifices before they could be freed”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-Of course they did’.</em>
</p>
<p>-Are orbs allowed to be snarky?</p>
<p>‘Well Mat is, all the time, and people still love him’.</p>
<p>I smile, and shrug.</p>
<p>“Uh...let’s see. . .”</p>
<p>‘Saf knew a lot about them...she even said. . .they were.  .  .’</p>
<p>Space?</p>
<p>Reality?</p>
<p>And...</p>
<p>Time?</p>
<p>‘But which one is which-‘</p>
<p>-If they did figure it out, I was <em>not </em>awake for that.</p>
<p>“. . .Are you...Reality?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-Good guess’.</em>
</p>
<p>I feel a <em>flood </em>of relief-</p>
<p>“-Oh-“</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Something wrong?’</em>
</p>
<p>The ceiling begins to rain dirt.</p>
<p>The pedestal holding the orb tightly, crumbles to pebbles. . . .</p>
<p>A blue light field fades from above, and shoots a beam straight up-</p>
<p>The earth above us is razed into a long hole-</p>
<p>‘Are we-!?’</p>
<p>Moving-</p>
<p>Up-!!</p>
<p>“I can’t-remember my name-“</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-And?’</em>
</p>
<p>“Uh. . .”</p>
<p>The ground fragments beneath me as the blue orb floats freely into the air-</p>
<p>“I had-I had a Soul Brother. . .I think-“</p>
<p>Light engulfs everywhere, and I’m lifted into nowhere.</p>
<p>“Something. . .”, I struggle to recall over the raging calamity-</p>
<p>“We were here for....”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Something.   .    .</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-The world tilted like an earthquake, and Mat and Safiya let out twin startled yelps.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘It’s done-‘</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Well this ain’t good-‘</em>
</p>
<p>Green and orange floated agitatedly together as the church gleamed with ivory radiance.</p>
<p>“Why’s it doing that!?” Safiya cried-</p>
<p>“He is stirring-he can feel the disturbances we’ve wrought!!” Calliope shouted back.</p>
<p>Mat stumbled, and was narrowly kept from being garroted by a snapped power line.</p>
<p>“Thanks-“</p>
<p>“You’re welcome-“</p>
<p>Saf’s hand was slippery as all-heck, but it was all she could manage right then.</p>
<p>He gulped at the flying sparks-</p>
<p>The earth calmed.</p>
<p>He breathed. . .</p>
<p>“Good Day Sir-!” she wheezed in unison, “That was <em>not </em>how you could help us today-!!”</p>
<p>“Is everyone alright?”</p>
<p>-They looked to Calliope.</p>
<p>She was clutching her arm-<br/>“Oh no-“</p>
<p>“What happened?”</p>
<p>“Flying sign”.</p>
<p>She grimaced-</p>
<p>“I will be fine. . .for now, we <em>must </em>find that last orb”.</p>
<p><em>‘How about we not’, </em>the green one said sourly.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Wouldn’t recommend it-Zero stars on Yelp-‘</em>
</p>
<p>‘They sound like...<em>her-‘</em>, Mat realized with a mix of grief pangs and shock-</p>
<p>“-Do you think she’s okay!?” he asked desperately-</p>
<p>“How bad <em>is </em>this guy!?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘He’s the reason we’re like this. Is that explanation enough?’</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>.   .   .</p>
<p>She sits up.</p>
<p>She's <em>soaked </em>from head-to-toe-</p>
<p>“Oh dear....” she murmurs to herself, standing up, and brushing away the extra mud-</p>
<p>She's waist-deep in a giant lake.</p>
<p>-She can’t remember how she’s gotten there, but she <em>assumes </em>it's for something really important-</p>
<p>‘Huh. I wonder what it was’.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>.                        .                        .</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Elsewhere, a figure in blue stalks through the mist to the inside of a destroyed building.</p>
<p>‘Ah. . .<em>there </em>you are...’</p>
<p>A gigantic, amber crystal has been completely untouched despite the recent disaster.</p>
<p>Coiled within, in slumber, is a man.</p>
<p>Curled horns, furred body, and all-</p>
<p>The violet light that pulsates at his heart is the only real sign he's even still alive.</p>
<p>-The figure knocks.</p>
<p>A vibration of gold runs through the rock-</p>
<p>A beat</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They smile.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Meanwhile, Mat wound a sleeve of his coat around the wounded woman’s arm, and then the five of them absolutely <em>booked it </em>back to the Lake.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>. . .</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But she didn’t have an idea of any of these.</p>
<p>No, the woman with No Name merely waded her way onto the shore after some time, and stood at the edge of the woods (or maybe a forest?) for a second, deliberating on what to do next.</p>
<p>-There were warm beams in the distance.</p>
<p>‘. . . .Maybe they can help!’</p>
<p>So she started for them.</p>
<p>Occasionally, a pair of angry-red eyes would glare at her, but she chalked it up to fireflies.</p>
<p>After all-</p>
<p>‘If it were something else, wouldn’t I have been hurt by now?’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-Thus, with sound logic in hand, she entered into a different, thicker section of trees.</p>
<p>“Hello?”</p>
<p>Someone had built a. . .cottage there.</p>
<p>She knocked, admiring how Victorian it looked.</p>
<p>“In a minute”, an elegant voice called-</p>
<p>The door opened.</p>
<p>“Hello my dear”, she was told, “You look a bit lost”.</p>
<p>“Thanks, I am-Can you help me?”</p>
<p>“I can try. . .”</p>
<p>She was waved inside.</p>
<p>Not having registered one bit that whom she was talking to was the evil Sorceress at all.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And now for Something Completely Different.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. House In The Forest</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Always be wary of strangers bearing hospitality.....</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Mentions food, eating, death, general creepiness, memory loss, aborted petting (non-that).</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It looked even more luxurious on the inside:</p>
<p>White marble,</p>
<p>Decorative chandeliers,</p>
<p>A general, prevailing feeling of warmth.</p>
<p>“Wow...that’s a nice picture”.</p>
<p>On the Main Wall, a portrait:</p>
<p>It mirrored her Host’s regal hairstyle, black, fancy dress, and utterly dramatic presence.</p>
<p>“Who painted it?”</p>
<p>“I did”.</p>
<p>“Woah...”</p>
<p>She sat down upon soft cushions.</p>
<p>“You have a nice place!”</p>
<p>“Thank you”.</p>
<p>“You live here all alone?”</p>
<p>“Currently”.</p>
<p>-She seemed incredibly unhappy about that.</p>
<p>Her lips were downturned.</p>
<p>“But I plan to fix that...what did you say your name was again?”</p>
<p>The visitor struggled to think.</p>
<p>“. . .I don’t know...um-“</p>
<p>“You ‘don’t know’?”</p>
<p>She thought for a bit longer.</p>
<p>“I...guess not”.</p>
<p>She shrugged, like it didn’t bother her, but. . . . . . .</p>
<p>“I just...exist”.</p>
<p>“-That’s not necessarily a bad thing”.</p>
<p>-The woman’s hand outstretched a little, toward her head, but then it stopped.</p>
<p>The other party stared at it.</p>
<p>. . .</p>
<p>An awkward silence fell...</p>
<p>“If you’re lost, I could help”, was the offer......</p>
<p>“Thanks. . .I was hoping you would...”</p>
<p>But...</p>
<p>‘That was kinda weird, though...’</p>
<p>She had the strangest impression she’d been seen in an odd way.</p>
<p>‘Feels kinda familiar. . .but I don’t remember why...’</p>
<p>She sighed.</p>
<p>‘Well, I don’t have to stay forever...’</p>
<p>Good thing.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>-They crashed into the church to find it an utter <em>wreck.</em></p>
<p>The pews had crumbled, the stained-glass windows had been completely shattered to bits, and the piece of architecture itself sustained long, foreboding cracks.</p>
<p>The glow had emptied out ages ago.</p>
<p>Empty, except for a pulsating, amber crystal about as large as the pillars on Capitol Hill.</p>
<p>“Uh-oh...” Mat grimaced-</p>
<p>“I take it that’s our man?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘That’s him, alright. . .’</em>
</p>
<p>The green orb seethed.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘The Carnival Master. We were powerless to stop him-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“But not anymore, right?” Safiya asked.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘No way!’</em>
</p>
<p>The orange orb confirmed.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-I’d love to get out of this sealed marble, first-‘</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>‘As would I’.</em>
</p>
<p>“And how do we do that?” Calliope questioned.</p>
<p><em>‘I don’t believe you three, can do anything’, </em>the green orb huffed, <em>‘The odds of us being </em>found <em>were supposed to be none to begin with’.</em></p>
<p>“No one wandered into the woods once”, Mat repeated disbelievingly.</p>
<p><em>‘You’d be surprised how </em>weak-willed <em>these people are’, </em>the orange orb scoffed derisively.</p>
<p>...............Calliope had no comment.</p>
<p>“Well. . . .”</p>
<p>Safiya cleared her throat-</p>
<p>“So, it doesn’t look like Ro, or. . .this other Orb guy are in here-“</p>
<p>“Then where are they?”</p>
<p>Mat nervously glanced at the gleaming cage-</p>
<p>‘I can’t believe someone’s <em>inside </em>that thing!’</p>
<p><em>‘We don’t have </em>all <em>the answers!’ </em>the orange orb sniffed.</p>
<p><em>‘If I had to take a guess, however’, </em>the green orb relented, <em>‘I would be re-visiting the lake where she first disappeared’.</em></p>
<p>“-You think it spat her back out?” Safiya clarified-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Could have. . .’</em>
</p>
<p>“We had better hurry in our search”, Calliope warned, kneeling.</p>
<p>“For someone else has already been here”.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>Mat knelt, too-</p>
<p>-The ground cracked beneath him further, and he teetered at the edge of a yawning hole-</p>
<p>This time, two arms caught him.</p>
<p>“. . .Thanks guys”.</p>
<p>“No problem”.</p>
<p>“It is quite alright”.</p>
<p>. . . No longer in danger of plummeting, he peered harder at the undeniable evidence in front of him:</p>
<p>Light, footprints.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>“-Did I keep you waiting, long?”</p>
<p>The woman with the glowing Staff returned-</p>
<p>“No, not at all”.</p>
<p>She stood up.</p>
<p>“What’s that-“</p>
<p>“Appetizers”.</p>
<p>They fizzed.</p>
<p>“It would be rude if I didn’t offer some to my Guest. . .”</p>
<p>“Oh...thank you-“</p>
<p>She leaned over to better see the strange, jewel-like treats.</p>
<p>She could almost imagine she heard. . .tiny...voices......?</p>
<p>Hisses, fragments of song. . . . .</p>
<p>She couldn’t make sense of any of the words.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Come. Come closer. Eat me and you’ll feel better-</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“-Huh?”</p>
<p>-She turned to the Host.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“I asked you if you had any particular preference”.</p>
<p>“...Not really!”</p>
<p>She beamed-</p>
<p>“I’ve never seen such pretty sweets before”.</p>
<p>“Truthfully?”</p>
<p>The woman raised a bold eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Clearly you haven’t seen any of the finer parts of life”.</p>
<p>“. . .Well...”</p>
<p>She adjusted her hat apologetically-</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t know...you see, I'm not just lost...I mean, I am, in a sense, but. . .I don’t really....remember, anything-“</p>
<p>“Truly?”</p>
<p>“Yeah...it’s...so odd-“</p>
<p>She didn’t notice the woman’s evil smirk.</p>
<p>“It’s like...I <em>must </em>have come here for something, but. . .I just <em>can’t </em>recall what it is, you know?”</p>
<p>“Indeed?”</p>
<p>“And...I don’t have a clue what my name is, either.. . . .”</p>
<p>She sighed, growing despondent.</p>
<p>“Could you help with that...too?”</p>
<p>“Mayhaps”.</p>
<p>“....Phew, thank you”.</p>
<p>She gave her a relieved smile-</p>
<p>“If it weren’t for you, I’d probably be <em>even more</em> lost as heck by now”.</p>
<p>“Hmm. . .”</p>
<p>The woman took a porcelain plate from the stack, and held it out to her.</p>
<p>“-Thank you-“ she said again-</p>
<p>She accepted it.</p>
<p>“-Have you decided what you want, yet?”</p>
<p>“No, not yet-“</p>
<p>“Ah”.</p>
<p>The woman moved the tray over to her side.</p>
<p>“There”.</p>
<p>. . . . . . . . . .</p>
<p>The whispers floated into her eardrums...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Over here-Choose me!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>No, choose me-</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Digest us, and stay <strong>forever</strong></em>
</p>
<p>“-!!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She recoiled-</p>
<p>“Something wrong?”</p>
<p>“. . .”</p>
<p>‘Should I tell her, her food <em>talks?’</em></p>
<p>Or would she only look insane?</p>
<p>“Uh...”</p>
<p>-There was a knock.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>They ran from the Ghost Town, and re-entered the Darkness.</p>
<p>Red eyes eerily no longer present.</p>
<p>‘Where did they go-‘</p>
<p>Mat felt a <em>creeping </em>sensation over his spine.</p>
<p>‘Werewolves infested here like, not that long ago-‘</p>
<p>“Is anyone else unnerved by how quiet this place is?” Safiya whispered.</p>
<p>“They have been recalled to their Master”, Calliope intoned ominously.</p>
<p><em>‘How lovely’, </em>the green orb deadpanned.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Too bad we can’t teach them to play dead’.</em>
</p>
<p>“-Please never say that...ever-“ Safiya scolded-</p>
<p>They dodged bushes, low-hanging branches, and sudden twists and turns to run into-</p>
<p>The lake.</p>
<p>Just as bleakly ominous as they’d last seen it......</p>
<p><em>‘I don’t see anyone there’, </em>the green orb remarked in surprise.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘That’s odd-‘</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-If I woke up here, I would probably walk right into-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“Shh-!”</p>
<p>Safiya put a finger to her lips.</p>
<p><em>‘What’, </em>the orange orb continued, bluntly, <em>‘I don’t hear anythi-‘</em></p>
<p>Mat quickly scooped the chatty ball into his hand.</p>
<p>‘Thank you’, she mouthed-</p>
<p>The green orb flew behind Calliope-</p>
<p>Crunched grass.</p>
<p>Someone else was coming.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Have a daily dose of Halloween-</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Mystery Identities</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A stranger in the woods, and a stranger in the house. Who can be trusted?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Mentions food/eating.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“-Let me go get that”.</p>
<p>The woman, frowning slightly, elegantly walked away...</p>
<p>‘. . .’</p>
<p>She uneasily eyed the food.</p>
<p>‘I <em>know </em>I heard them talk’.</p>
<p>She shifted.</p>
<p>‘Who could that be?’</p>
<p>She hadn’t been there for very long, had she?</p>
<p>-She heard a click.</p>
<p>“Hello”.</p>
<p>“Hello-“</p>
<p>-No, didn’t ring a bell.</p>
<p>She swallowed up her disappointment.</p>
<p>‘Oh well. Maybe something else will bring them back’.</p>
<p>She waited for them to enter the room.</p>
<p>-She got <em>weird </em>vibes.</p>
<p>‘Huh. . .?’</p>
<p>Blue hair, and striking violet eyes.</p>
<p>Aqua robes.</p>
<p>For some reason, <em>this person </em>felt familiar.</p>
<p>‘But how-‘</p>
<p>“It’s been a while since I’ve entered such an elaborate place-“ he was saying-</p>
<p>“Really?”</p>
<p>The woman was eyeing him funny.</p>
<p>The carved stick in her hand gleamed as she twirled it-</p>
<p>“Where are you from?”</p>
<p>‘Uh h think of something, think of something-!!’</p>
<p>She hastily scooped up a few of the jewel-like snacks, and hid them deep in her pockets.</p>
<p>“Usually I frequent forested areas-“</p>
<p>“How coincidental”.</p>
<p>A definitely not-nice smile.</p>
<p>“We <em>are </em>in one”.</p>
<p>“-These are super good!”</p>
<p>They both turned to look at her.</p>
<p>She smiled-</p>
<p>-The woman’s eyebrows raised.</p>
<p>“Goodness, you nearly cleaned off the whole platter”.</p>
<p>“I know, they were <em>so </em>delicious, I couldn’t help myself”.</p>
<p>She hoped no one could hear the whispering coming from the inside of her coat.</p>
<p>“I don’t suppose you have more...do you?”</p>
<p>“I will look”.</p>
<p>The woman’s tone was hard to read.</p>
<p>‘Does she suspect-‘</p>
<p>The woman strode away.</p>
<p>Still elegant, still refined-</p>
<p>The newest visitor was currently inspecting the portrait.</p>
<p>He evenly returned her own stare-</p>
<p>‘Uh-‘</p>
<p>She suddenly felt <em>extremely </em>self-conscious.</p>
<p>“. . .Um, Sir-?”</p>
<p>“Yes?”</p>
<p>-She kind-of hadn’t been expecting him to answer so quickly-</p>
<p>“. . .Who are you?”</p>
<p>-There it was:</p>
<p>The Big Question.</p>
<p>As she sat, on tenterhooks, for the reply, she wondered if it’d finally kickstart something.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Meanwhile, three tense people waited in the forest, along with two, hidden orbs.</p>
<p>Someone was indeed coming.</p>
<p>The rustling was getting louder-</p>
<p><em>And </em>closer.</p>
<p>“If it’s a monster, get ready to run-“ Mat hissed.</p>
<p><em>‘I could just fry ‘em’, </em>the orange glow mentioned.</p>
<p>“Frying and running both sound like good ideas-“ Safiya mediated, “Unless it suddenly alerts everyone unfriendly-and-a-half to our location, in which case, no, it wouldn’t be a good idea at all”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘...I could seriously just fry ‘em. No trouble-‘</em>
</p>
<p>Calliope shushed.</p>
<p>“They are coming-“</p>
<p>-They arrived.</p>
<p>“-Hello?”</p>
<p>-It was an unassuming man with dark hair and a school sweater.</p>
<p>“Anyone here?”</p>
<p>The trio glanced at each other.</p>
<p>-Not a one of them had the faintest idea who he was.</p>
<p>“I seem to be a bit lost-“</p>
<p><em>I don’t trust him, </em>the green orb thought.</p>
<p>
  <em>How does one get lost here, of all places?</em>
</p>
<p>There weren’t any other towns around for miles-</p>
<p>“I swear I’m harmless--”</p>
<p>
  <em>Yeah, right.</em>
</p>
<p>-The orange orb flickered, impatiently-</p>
<p>Calliope kept her finger to her lips.</p>
<p>“-I saw a brunette in a yellow hat come this way-“</p>
<p>Mat started.</p>
<p>
  <em>No.</em>
</p>
<p>The green orb caught him mouthing:</p>
<p>‘He knows where Ro is!’</p>
<p>to Safiya-</p>
<p>They cycled up to his ear.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Don’t fall for it, it’s a trap-‘</em>
</p>
<p>‘I know’, he replied telepathically, ‘but if we follow him, and he <em>doesn’t </em>see us-‘</p>
<p>. . .Couldn’t very well argue with that.</p>
<p>“Ah...haha-“</p>
<p>The man rubbed the back of his head, finding no one in sight to answer.</p>
<p>“Guess I’m hearing things. . . .”</p>
<p>He walked off, to the East.</p>
<p>. . . . . . . . . .The three of them waited.</p>
<p>They were glancing at each other, again...</p>
<p>‘Should we go?’</p>
<p>‘I don’t know, should we go?’</p>
<p>‘-Let’s go’.</p>
<p>Mat slithered free of his hiding place first.</p>
<p>‘If there really is a chance he knows where Ro is-‘</p>
<p>Then Safiya followed-</p>
<p>‘Oh boy...’</p>
<p>Then Calliope.</p>
<p>‘.  .  .’</p>
<p>The two orbs floated in-behind-</p>
<p><em>‘I don’t like this-‘ </em>the green one started-</p>
<p><em>‘Hey, neither do I-but at least we can </em>fight <em>the creep’.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>‘...True’.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“-Your memories are gone.</p>
<p>Aren’t they?”</p>
<p>“Wha-how did you-“</p>
<p>She was <em>floored.</em></p>
<p>She hadn’t even-</p>
<p>“I was there”.</p>
<p>“-You were!?”</p>
<p>-She stood up quick.</p>
<p>“Can you tell me then, please, what happened?”</p>
<p>“I could-“</p>
<p>The way he said that made her nervous.</p>
<p>“Buuut, it’s not <em>safe”.</em></p>
<p>“-Huh?”</p>
<p>He grinned, and flicked his eyes toward where the woman had <em>just</em> disappeared.</p>
<p>‘. . . . .’</p>
<p>She bit her lip.</p>
<p>“....Who is she?”</p>
<p>“A Wicked Sorceress”.</p>
<p>“What-“</p>
<p>It sounded farfetched.</p>
<p>And yet-</p>
<p><em>‘That </em>would explain why the food talked’.</p>
<p>Unless-</p>
<p>‘I couldn’t have hallucinated it-‘</p>
<p>“...How do you know she’s Wicked?”</p>
<p>“I’ve met her before”.</p>
<p>“Really!?”</p>
<p>“Yes-But it would appear she doesn’t remember it-“</p>
<p>“Oh. . .”</p>
<p>-In an odd way, she could sympathize.</p>
<p>“What happened?”</p>
<p>“Why, I used to work for her Employer”.</p>
<p>“And who was that?”</p>
<p>“A certain Cursed God”.</p>
<p>His grin turned <em>sour.</em></p>
<p>“She and the Carnival Master hate each other. Not surprising she’d show up to steal his show <em>right</em> when it begins-“</p>
<p>“I’ve never heard of a Cursed God-“</p>
<p>She anxiously glanced down the hall.</p>
<p>Ears poised to pick up on any returning footsteps-</p>
<p>‘This is some Classified Stuff I’m...probably not supposed to know-‘</p>
<p>“No kidding. The Forces who vanquished him to the edge of the Galaxy erased every mention of his name. . .too bad he can whisper to the Most Vulnerable.</p>
<p>Still haven’t figured out a way around that...”</p>
<p>“Why are you telling me this?”</p>
<p>“Because a friend of yours might be stolen to become <em>his </em>Vessel instead”.</p>
<p>“Huh-What friend-“</p>
<p>The woman came back.</p>
<p>“How nice...to see you both acting friendly”.</p>
<p>“You <em>know </em>I’m a good Guest. . . . .”</p>
<p>Like a mask, the grin had reappeared into perfect place.</p>
<p>No cracks...</p>
<p>‘How does he do it!?’</p>
<p>“I brought seconds”.</p>
<p>She flatly thumped down a second platter.</p>
<p>The treats rattled-</p>
<p>She felt her skin prickle.</p>
<p>The faintest hints of whispers...were echoing again-</p>
<p>“Thank you...”</p>
<p>“You’re welcome”.</p>
<p>The woman spared a surreptitious glance at the newcomer.</p>
<p>She could almost <em>see </em>the palpable suspicion in her eyes-</p>
<p>‘Maybe he’s wrong. Maybe she <em>does </em>remember’.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She shivered.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Poor Mat keeps ending up in deeper trouble-</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Humanitarian</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Some unfortunate things make themselves very clear.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Food/eating mentions, body parts.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After walking along an excessively circuituous route, (needlessly so, in his opinion), they came upon an unassuming little barber shop.</p>
<p>Right there.</p>
<p>Smack in the woods.</p>
<p>
  <em>Oh yes, this is <strong>quite </strong>legit.</em>
</p>
<p>The green orb scoffed in his head-</p>
<p>Clean Cuts.</p>
<p>The giant scissors stuck out at an angle that made it seem like it was primed to snip in half the nearest tree.</p>
<p>With a jingle of bells, the man checked behind him once more, and then disappeared through the clear doorway.</p>
<p>
  <em>Suspicious.</em>
</p>
<p>Unless he was going to ask the proprietor for directions, instead. . . . . .</p>
<p>“-I’m gonna say it now”, Safiya whispered under her breath, “I am getting <em>major </em>Sweeney Todd vibes”.</p>
<p>“...Yeah, me too”.</p>
<p>-The third member of their party, however, just looked confused.</p>
<p>“Who?”</p>
<p>“It’s a play about a guy who murders customers with a straight razor”, he explained.</p>
<p>“Oh...”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘I vote we abort-‘</em>
</p>
<p>The orange orb flared in agitation.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘I sure as heck am <strong>not </strong>getting shish-kebabbed!’</em>
</p>
<p>“. . .I’m thinking the same thing....” Mat admitted.</p>
<p>“Time to backtrack?” Safiya said meaningfully.</p>
<p>“I should say so”, Calliope decided.</p>
<p><em>‘A wise decision’, </em>was the green orb’s take-</p>
<p>The Final Vote.</p>
<p>Safiya turned on her heel, and led them out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“. . .What is your name?”</p>
<p>“Pardon?”</p>
<p>“Well if you’re my Guest, then I should know your name, yes?”</p>
<p>-Caught in the middle, the original visitor awkwardly sat upon a couch.</p>
<p>“Hmm, yes, that’s right-“</p>
<p>‘This’ll be interesting to hear. . .’</p>
<p>She wasn’t sure what kind of a name <em>would </em>fit him.</p>
<p>“How about yours?”</p>
<p>The woman smiled.</p>
<p>“I’ve been looking for suggestions. ‘Riley’, isn’t so regal, is it?”</p>
<p>“Depends”.</p>
<p>He matched her, tone for even tone.</p>
<p>“I think anyone can carry off any name, if they have the regality in form”.</p>
<p>“Oh? Is that so”.</p>
<p>‘Mind warfare. . .yeesh’.</p>
<p>She eyed the uneaten seconds.</p>
<p>
  <em>Come taste us!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>You won’t regret it-</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>We’re sweet as honey.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And so are you?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Right?</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>-She hurriedly stuffed them all into her pockets.</p>
<p>The light murmuring from within them grew louder-</p>
<p>‘At this rate, I’ll run out of room!’</p>
<p>And then she’d probably be stuck eating them for <em>real-</em></p>
<p>She gulped.</p>
<p>“-Are you alright?”</p>
<p>-She realized, a bit belatedly, that the two Verbal Sparrers had momentarily paused their little battle.</p>
<p>Both staring at her face-</p>
<p>“Huh? I’m good. . . .”</p>
<p>She blinked at them, curious.</p>
<p>“Why do you ask?”</p>
<p>-The woman shook her head.</p>
<p>“Nothing...”</p>
<p>“You just seemed to have grown rather pale”.</p>
<p>She leveled the other with a warning glare.</p>
<p>“Oh...”</p>
<p>She swallowed.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about me. . . .I’m okay”.</p>
<p>“If you’re sure...” the Man In Blue said-</p>
<p>“I’m sure”.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m not sure, but I think <em>we’re </em>lost”.</p>
<p>Safiya stopped in the middle of the road, hands on her hips.</p>
<p>“I support that conclusion-“</p>
<p>Mat heavily thumped down in the grass.</p>
<p>“None of these rocks are looking familiar”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘I don’t get it’.</em>
</p>
<p>The orange orb huffed.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘I left singe marks!’</em>
</p>
<p><em>‘Mayhaps they were wiped away?’ </em>the green orb speculated.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Nah, on trees?’</em>
</p>
<p>“-You should be very glad there’s no one to fine you here”.</p>
<p>Safiya’s quip would have aroused a scowl-</p>
<p>If the orb’s surface wasn’t so opaque.</p>
<p>“Never mess with the environment-“ Mat had to add-</p>
<p><em>‘Okay so, </em>maybe <em>it was a bad idea’, </em>was the huff, <em>‘But at least I </em>tried’.</p>
<p>“-And we thank you for that”, Calliope moderated.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘You’re welcome’.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>That still doesn’t solve the problem of why we’re lost.</em>
</p>
<p>The green orb pondered-</p>
<p>
  <em>Maybe it was magic?</em>
</p>
<p>He soured, remembering the Sorceress and her little prison box.</p>
<p><em>If that’s the case, then she </em>must <em>be out here.</em></p>
<p>A disquieting thought-</p>
<p>
  <em>It will be especially tricky to dispose of her.</em>
</p>
<p>“-Did you guys hear that?”</p>
<p>Mat twisted around on his seat.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Hear what?’</em>
</p>
<p>“You mean that crow?”</p>
<p>Safiya pointed to the shrieking bird, far above-</p>
<p>“No. . .I could’ve sworn I heard something else”.</p>
<p>“Like what?”</p>
<p>Calliope joined him-</p>
<p>“Like. . .weird <em>breathing-“</em></p>
<p><em>‘Oh joy. We shoulda brought our breath mints’, </em>the orange orb wisecracked.</p>
<p>“I <em>wish </em>that worked”.</p>
<p>Mat smiled, wistfully.</p>
<p>“We could’ve insta-defeated all those clowns”.</p>
<p>-The green orb snorted.</p>
<p>
  <em>A nice gesture, certainly. . .</em>
</p>
<p>And then <em>he </em>heard it:</p>
<p>A deep, musky sound-</p>
<p>
  <em>That’s disgusting-</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Anyone catch that one?’</em>
</p>
<p>“No-“ was Safiya’s reply.</p>
<p>“I did”.</p>
<p>Calliope’s mouth was a drawn line.</p>
<p>-Mat was close to panic-</p>
<p>“Why did I just hear electricity-!??”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Is your brain fried?’</em>
</p>
<p>Three skeptical looks.</p>
<p>The orange orb fluttered in place.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘What?’</em>
</p>
<p>The green orb sighed-</p>
<p>A hand closed around it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“-I’m sorry”, she interrupted a second time, “But I’ve eaten all the new treats. . .”</p>
<p>The eyeballing was even <em>worse.</em></p>
<p>She grimaced on the inside-</p>
<p>“You did?”</p>
<p>Riley didn’t look convinced.</p>
<p>The stranger was smiling under his breath-</p>
<p>‘He definitely knows it’s a distraction’.</p>
<p>“Yes...they were very good”.</p>
<p>“I <em>can </em>bring back thirds....if you’re still hungry”.</p>
<p>“Yes, please!”</p>
<p>The woman swept up the platter in a graceful motion.</p>
<p>Her eyes searched. . . . .</p>
<p>She tried to look as inconspicuous as possible.</p>
<p>....................................</p>
<p>She left.</p>
<p>The visitor let out a brief sigh of relief-</p>
<p>“You <em>do </em>know what those are, right?”</p>
<p>The stranger had a treat in his own hand, somehow-</p>
<p>‘How did he-!?’</p>
<p>“. . . . .Treats?”</p>
<p>“Human brains”.</p>
<p>“!!!”</p>
<p>-Her own brain could no longer form coherent thoughts.</p>
<p>“W-W-<em>What!??”</em></p>
<p>“You didn’t really eat them, did you”.</p>
<p>“B-<em>Brains!?”</em></p>
<p>“Twisted with dark magic, yes. They would have scrambled yours”.</p>
<p>She <strong><em>shivered.</em></strong></p>
<p>“B-B-But-the <em>whispering!!”</em></p>
<p>“Hypnotic suggestions”.</p>
<p>An eyebrow raise-</p>
<p>And then the treat was <em>crushed.</em></p>
<p>She cringed at the faint scream, slowly dying away-</p>
<p>“Past victims”, he dismissed, brushing off the crumbs.</p>
<p>. . .She could feel herself <em>shaking.</em></p>
<p>“.  .  .  I think I’m gonna g-go now”.</p>
<p>“Oh good. Me too”.</p>
<p>‘Uhh...’</p>
<p>-She wasn’t sure she trusted him much, either.</p>
<p>No matter whether or not, they could each help her with her missing memories-</p>
<p>She stood.</p>
<p>“Thanks. . . .just...tell her I suddenly had an emergency”.</p>
<p>“Hang on now-“</p>
<p>As she strode out, he followed-</p>
<p>“Don’t leave without me-“</p>
<p>She sped up-</p>
<p>She could hear his footsteps getting closer-</p>
<p>'Oh no, oh no-!'</p>
<p>She practically <em>slammed </em>her fingertips around the knob!</p>
<p>-Only to find, that they weren't the only ones.</p>
<p>-A titanically-white flash, and she was <strong>rooted</strong> to the spot.</p>
<p><em>He</em> was thrown to the floor, crackling with silvery sinister sparks.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Still want hors d'oeuvres?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Obscure Forces Beyond All Imagining</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Search Party is confronted with a deadly army, while another seeks to escape the clutches of the Sorceress.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Loads, and loads of fantasy violence, sharp objects, fantasy death, and non-con in a non-sexual way/hypnotism abuse.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“AHHHHHHHH!!! NO-“</p><p>Mat’s horrified shout, was muffled.</p><p>“What is that-What is that-“</p><p>Safiya-</p><p>“Get back!!”</p><p>-Assumed magic wooshing.</p><p>From Calliope-</p><p>
  <em>What the heck is going on!?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I can’t see-</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Take THIS!!’</em>
</p><p>Flames, orange light.</p><p>The green orb tried to use his own power.</p><p>The fingers keeping him trapped struggled to-maintain-</p><p>They burst apart in a shower of metal and sparks.</p><p>-To his eternal discomfort, he found his <em>heart </em>pounding in his throat.</p><p>He took a Bird’s-Eye-</p><p>
  <em>‘-Isn’t this overkill?’</em>
</p><p>Clacking automatons.</p><p>Safiya had snatched up a tree branch from the ground, and was using it to bash and bend them in half if even so much as a false <em>hair </em>came close.</p><p>Colorful animatronics.</p><p>Mat swung his knife, busting circuits, slitting limbs, and occasionally being <em>zapped.</em></p><p><em>“OW!! </em>I thought I’d gotten <em>away </em>from FNAF DARN ITTT-!!!!!!”</p><p>Prometheans.</p><p>Calliope sent golden blasts their direction, popping out their enormous goggles, and sizzling their stained jumpsuits close to their bodies.</p><p>The orange orb helped wherever, fiery ruin raining down on anyone and anything hostile, alike.</p><p>
  <em>-They’ve got this well-handled.</em>
</p><p>But could they hang on forever?</p><p>That was the real question-</p><p>
  <em>These waves show no signs of stopping-</em>
</p><p>He squinted to spot where-</p><p>
  <em>That’s it-?</em>
</p><p>A big, white house, well-off within the forest.</p><p>-He swooped toward it.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>“-It’s a pity you didn’t let them change your mind”.</p><p>She stirred. . .</p><p>Her hands were bound in front of her, and that woman was leaning over.</p><p>“-Um-!?”</p><p>She tried to sit up.</p><p>-Oh, she could!</p><p>‘That’s one less worry. . .’</p><p>She tried to <em>get </em>up.</p><p>A hand pushed her back down.</p><p>“Hey-!”</p><p>The other hand ruthlessly bit into her shoulder-</p><p>“Let go!!”</p><p>Ro kicked out with a hard-heeled shoe-</p><p>The woman yelped, a soundless scream.</p><p>“Are you kidding me-“</p><p>“Stop it!!”</p><p>She jerked free-</p><p>“You never wanted to help me, did you!?”</p><p>“You would have made a great Co-Ruler with him”.</p><p>“Him who!?”</p><p>She staggered upright-</p><p>“Your friend”.</p><p>“I don’t-remember any friends!”</p><p>“Good-although, the lost potential. . .”</p><p>The woman sighed.</p><p>“If only you <em>had </em>eaten of the last whispers. He would have found it much more compelling to stay”.</p><p>“What!?”</p><p>For some reason, her ankles were weak-</p><p>“What did you do!?”</p><p>She was having difficulty-recalling what happened-</p><p>“The door-“</p><p>“I charmed it”.</p><p>She grinned, cat-like.</p><p>Her friendliness had worn off completely.</p><p>Only evil malice remained. . . . .</p><p>And yet...</p><p>There was also a layer of sorrow there.</p><p>As if she genuinely was sorry that this even had to unfold on her at all.</p><p>-But that was too bad, because she, for one, did <em>not </em>feel so sorry.</p><p>In fact, she wanted to leave!</p><p>And she wanted to <em>leave, </em>right now.</p><p>“Well undo it, then!!”</p><p>“I could-“</p><p>“But you won’t”, she finished for her.</p><p>“Exactly”.</p><p>“What are you going to do with me? I’m not your puppet like you wanted”.</p><p>“You can still become it”.</p><p>She twirled the end of her Staff in a circle.</p><p>Purple smoke wafted free. . . . . . . .</p><p>“I had hoped that the paralysis would have lasted long enough to enchant you with it sooner”.</p><p>‘While I couldn’t do anything!? While I was <em>asleep!??’</em></p><p>She felt shudders race from the tip of her spine to the base.</p><p>‘Ewwwww!!!’</p><p>She spun on her wobbly heels, and dashed for the door!!</p><p> </p><p>Hissing.</p><p>It was coming close.</p><p>‘It won’t reach me-!’</p><p>It <em>couldn’t.</em></p><p>‘I’m not gonna be a puppet-‘</p><p>She pounded down the stony stairs.</p><p>‘Come on, come on-!’</p><p>There was a second door.</p><p>‘Oh, come on!’</p><p>She pulled at the knob-</p><p>It wouldn’t go.</p><p>‘No, no, no-!’</p><p>She searched for a key.</p><p>‘Where are you-‘</p><p>The purple mist of her own doom was starting to float in. . . . . . . .</p><p>‘Where is it!?’</p><p>She pulled on the door knob harder.</p><p>-Then she kicked it.</p><p>The wood <em>bent.</em></p><p>‘Whoah!’</p><p>Go adrenaline-!</p><p> </p><p>Several repeated kicks later, she’d gotten herself a small-ish hole.</p><p>She ducked through, coughing from the sickly-violet scent-</p><p>Although it hurt her wrists to do so, she kept her thick, green sleeves firmly over her face!</p><p>‘Don’t breathe it in-!! Don’t breathe it in-!!!’</p><p>Don’t lose yourself again-</p><p>‘Wait, again-?’</p><p>She stumbled out into a corridor.</p><p>Velvet carpet.</p><p>Diamonds along the walls-</p><p>She couldn’t spend any time appreciating the décor, however-</p><p>‘I need-air-‘</p><p>She veered past a corner, busily scanning for doorways.</p><p>‘Need-need a window-!!’</p><p>She tried in <em>vain.</em></p><p>Smooth white walls. . . .diamonds shining innocently.</p><p>‘This doesn’t-make sense-!!’</p><p>The fear was beginning to <em>really</em> churn in her stomach-</p><p>But she kept running.</p><p>‘I know-the-the place where the. . .ugh, brains, came from-!!!’</p><p>There <em>had </em>to be windows inside a preparatory chamber like that-</p><p>‘-I don’t recognize where I am--’</p><p>She ran into a dead end.</p><p>‘Oh no-!’</p><p>Nowhere left to escape to, the lavender-like mist billowed in.</p><p>‘Ack-‘</p><p>Her back hit a column-</p><p>‘D-Don’t breathe it in-!’</p><p>She sank to the floor.. . .crouched-</p><p>‘Don’t-don’t breathe it-‘</p><p>Her arms were <em>firmly </em>plastered to her face-</p><p>‘Don’t breathe it-Don’t breathe it--! Don’t-!!!’</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>‘That’s it! I’m retiring-‘</p><p>Mat slashed clean in half yet <em>another </em>Bonnie.</p><p>‘I am <em>never </em>playing another ‘Five Nights At Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza’ <em>Ever, Ever Again-!!’</em></p><p>-He stabbed a Chica in the eye.</p><p>She croaked in pain, warbled for a bit, and then <em>narrowly </em>missed his toe-</p><p>‘Never, ever, ever!!!’</p><p>-A tiny ways off, Safiya bludgeoned another humanoid robot to the ground.</p><p>“You okay over there!?”</p><p>“I am surviving-“</p><p>“Good to hear!”</p><p>-A metal hand closed around her forearm.</p><p>She bashed it into splinters.</p><p>“Calliope!?”</p><p>-She zapped a futuristic-looking <em>hulk </em>until he’d quit spasming in place.</p><p>“-Hm?”</p><p>“. . .Er, I guess you’re okay...’</p><p>
  <em>‘TAAAKE THAT!!’</em>
</p><p>Fire whooshed-</p><p>The Puppet ominously melted into black goop.</p><p>Then the orange orb lobbed a ball of flaming rage into the midst of half-human, half-mutated zombies-</p><p>
  <em>‘Get lost, creeps-‘</em>
</p><p>Showers of sparks, and crinkling plastic.</p><p>‘Holy Cow-‘</p><p>Mat’s eyes were wide as a stream of embers flattened what was left of their current apocalyptic opponents.</p><p>‘You don’t want to mess with that guy-‘</p><p>“Aren’t we missing someone?” Safiya called out, breathing heavily.</p><p>“-Yeah, we are”, he realized with a shock.</p><p>‘Where’d the green orb go!?’</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that was the day Game Theory quit FNAF Lore videos.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chaotically Aligned</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Who is still trapped, and how will they escape?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Darkness, being restrained, dolls. Death threat.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>.  .  .  .  ?</p>
<p>I have no idea where I am.</p>
<p>Wonderful.</p>
<p>I test my movement-</p>
<p>The last thing I remember is hot, white sparks exploding in my face.</p>
<p>-Of course the door would be charmed. . . .</p>
<p>Didn’t expect her to touch it <em>before </em>I could counter-spell, however.</p>
<p>It’s too dark in here to see.</p>
<p>Invisible chains.</p>
<p>‘How nice’.</p>
<p>I said I would be the perfect Guest, but I never said-</p>
<p>I would be the perfect <em>Prisoner.</em></p>
<p>I pull.</p>
<p>Lock-up-</p>
<p>Well, no matter. . .</p>
<p>I’ll simply use my magic:</p>
<p>It...fizzles.</p>
<p>-Props to her for not being stupid, only I’m stupendously sure she didn’t take this many precautions for the non-magical woman.</p>
<p>‘Wherever she ended up...’</p>
<p>I don’t believe her intentions for the other guest are anything benevolent, and that’s not just instinct, I <em>know.</em></p>
<p>I saw the way she kept looking at her.</p>
<p>She was interested in some kind-of way.</p>
<p>I squint.</p>
<p>My hands fumble for links-</p>
<p>My fingers are asleep.</p>
<p>I begin to test for weak spots.</p>
<p>My muscles hitch with the effort, but oh well.</p>
<p>Small price to pay. . .</p>
<p>‘Hmm.......’</p>
<p>I brace my heel against the wall.</p>
<p>‘Let’s try this, then’.</p>
<p>I fumble around-</p>
<p>My toe hits something.</p>
<p>Eyes light up.</p>
<p>Oh. . .fun.....</p>
<p>The <em>entire </em>room is filled with <em>dolls.</em></p>
<p>I swallow my distaste.</p>
<p>‘Who on earth decided <em>this </em>was a good idea’.</p>
<p>I spy with my eyes a set of abandoned tools-</p>
<p>Dollmaker flown the coop, perhaps?</p>
<p>‘Or maybe they’re out for lunch’.</p>
<p>What sort of purpose would require my being <em>here?</em></p>
<p>‘Do I <em>really </em>want to know?’</p>
<p>I knock a doll over with my foot.</p>
<p>Their glass eyeballs <em>rattle-</em></p>
<p>‘Yuch’.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>
  <em>Meanwhile. .  .   .</em>
</p>
<p>Ro woke up in an infirmary-type place.</p>
<p>‘Huh.  .  .’</p>
<p>She shifted.</p>
<p>No restraints.</p>
<p>No sickeningly-sweet perfume.</p>
<p>Just herself.</p>
<p>In another bed-</p>
<p>But not the type of bed that causes concern.</p>
<p>You know?</p>
<p>‘Wh. . .how-?’</p>
<p>Her last vague memory was of her desperately shielding her mouth and nostrils from the purple onslaught coming closer and closer and closer-</p>
<p>‘I...did I. . .?’</p>
<p>She must have.</p>
<p>‘What’s. . . .wrong-‘</p>
<p>She got a <em>good </em>glimpse of her face in the metal railings.</p>
<p>“Ahhh, what the heck!?”</p>
<p>Her skin was blue-tinged.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘I almost suffocated to death-!??’</em>
</p>
<p>That made her <em>gulp.</em></p>
<p>‘I’ve gotta get out of here-‘</p>
<p>For real, this time.</p>
<p>Heartbeat increasing, she snuck from the room.</p>
<p>‘I wish I had a map-‘</p>
<p>Would’ve made it <em>way </em>easier to get around.</p>
<p>‘I can’t risk her catching me again-‘</p>
<p>-There was a faint knock.</p>
<p>‘Huh-!?’</p>
<p>Telling her mind to calm, she turned toward the sound:</p>
<p>A floating, green light.</p>
<p>Hovering sentiently on its own, outside a window.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>
  <em>Meanwhile.. ... . . .</em>
</p>
<p>He’d almost been struck by <em>five </em>projectiles trying to get this far-</p>
<p>
  <em>What an annoyance.</em>
</p>
<p>It was lucky the pane of glass He’d found had someone on the other side.</p>
<p>Someone <em>familiar.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Ro?</em>
</p>
<p>She came closer, and undid the latch.</p>
<p>“Hello?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Ro, what are you doing here? What is this?’</em>
</p>
<p>“Who’s ‘Ro’?”</p>
<p>
  <em>-What.</em>
</p>
<p>Impossible.</p>
<p>How could she have-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘You are’.</em>
</p>
<p>“Huh?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘It’s a long story’.</em>
</p>
<p>“...Who are you? You can...talk?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Yes. You were there when your friends helped me’.</em>
</p>
<p>“.....I have friends?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Yes’.</em>
</p>
<p>It was a shame he had to be so blunt-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘What is this place?’</em>
</p>
<p>“I think it belongs to a lady with magic-she is <em>not </em>as friendly as she seems”.</p>
<p>
  <em>The Sorceress-!</em>
</p>
<p>Who else could it be!?</p>
<p>His blood <em>boiled </em>remembering their last meeting-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Is she here?’</em>
</p>
<p>“No-“</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Good’.</em>
</p>
<p>He flew inside.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘We have to move quickly-there’s a destructive army out there threatening to kill people’.</em>
</p>
<p>“That’s not very nice of them-“</p>
<p>
  <em>‘There must be a way to shut them down’.</em>
</p>
<p>“But where?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘...I don’t know’.</em>
</p>
<p>That was the one hitch-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘If only there was something we could use to find it-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“Like a map?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘That would certainly help’.</em>
</p>
<p>For some reason, she wasn’t frightened.</p>
<p>He couldn’t see any traces of fear in her face, anyway.</p>
<p>“Okay”.</p>
<p>She nodded-</p>
<p>“Then let’s see if we can’t find one”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘We have no time to lose’.</em>
</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>
  <em>Meanwhile........</em>
</p>
<p>I’m beginning to tire of staring at these creatures.</p>
<p>They’re perfectly immaculate.</p>
<p>It’s odd.</p>
<p>Ah, well....</p>
<p>Unless I figure out a better plan, I suppose I had better deal with it.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>A click.</p>
<p>“Who’s there?”</p>
<p>A gasp of purple light.</p>
<p>“Finally come to visit me”.</p>
<p>“Don’t sound so smug about it”.</p>
<p>Her polite tone has disappeared.</p>
<p>“I’m not”.</p>
<p>I indicate my unfortunate room mates with a nod.</p>
<p>“And them?”</p>
<p>“Relocation business issues”, she grumbles under her breath.</p>
<p>“Rather patient, aren’t they?”</p>
<p>“I detest them”.</p>
<p>“-Me too”.</p>
<p>I flash her a grin-</p>
<p>“So how about you let me loose so we can evict them to their new premises together?”</p>
<p>“-Nice try”.</p>
<p>-Well it’s not my fault I thought she was actually considering it.</p>
<p>“So what are <em>you </em>here for, really?”</p>
<p>“I want to know what he’s up to. Where he is”.</p>
<p>“Hasn’t moved from his crystal-“</p>
<p>“Hasn’t <em>yet”, </em>she corrects.</p>
<p>She snarls, and runs a hand through her up-do.</p>
<p>“Only seventeen days left...”</p>
<p>“Unless events speed up”.</p>
<p>“You are <em>not </em>helping”.</p>
<p>“You <em>did </em>capture me-“</p>
<p>Her staff glows ever brighter, eldritch zaps from within threatening to escape and punish.</p>
<p>“I can also <em>kill you right here”.</em></p>
<p>. . . . .</p>
<p>I fall silent-</p>
<p>“There must be <em>some </em>method to getting rid of him forever!”</p>
<p>‘Good luck with that...’</p>
<p>He’d <em>never </em>let you get close.</p>
<p>“I’ll bet you know one”.</p>
<p>“.........Do I?”</p>
<p>“If you tell me what it is, you <em>will </em>be let go”.</p>
<p>“But how can I trust your words?”</p>
<p>“Do you have a choice?”</p>
<p>............I hate to admit it.</p>
<p>“I can’t seem to escape on my own...”</p>
<p>However.....</p>
<p>“Looks like I’ll have to tell you after all”.</p>
<p>I never said I’d be truthful.</p>
<p>“What is it?”</p>
<p>“Destroy the crystal upon his chest, and he will vanish from your life forever”.</p>
<p>“It’s that simple?”</p>
<p>“Oh my-the simple part, was my admission”.</p>
<p>She frowns-</p>
<p>“Well? Are you going to let me go now?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Happy New Year!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. A Refuge In A High Place</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The trio must escape the battle zone with their lives.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Mention injuries, implied death. Brief mentions of food, nobody's eating.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I don’t think these things are going to let us go!!” Mat shouted-</p>
<p>They were tactically retreating deeper into the woods.</p>
<p>“-What’s behind us?”</p>
<p>Safiya was still going at it, despite the six-inch long cuts on both arms.</p>
<p>“-A Ferris Wheel-“ Calliope confirmed-</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>‘Did we circle back around-‘</p>
<p>“Another one?” Mat aimed over the din-</p>
<p>“I would say so-“</p>
<p>They ran in-between the peacefully-bobbing spheres, none exactly happy that this was the case.</p>
<p>‘Why is there another carnival!?’</p>
<p>When they got out-‘when’, not ‘if’-he was never attending them ever again.</p>
<p>‘Add it to my list’, he thought darkly.</p>
<p>They dodged around an abandoned fry stand.</p>
<p>“I can <em>still </em>smell the grease-“ Safiya quipped-</p>
<p>A gush of firelight.</p>
<p>In their wake, the orange orb was doing crowd control.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘You guys keep runnin’-I’ll handle it!’</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-Actually, it was more like an amusement park.</p>
<p>Unused bumper cars flashed, hard-as-rock pretzels were strewn on the ground, and an old-fashioned Carousel collected dust.</p>
<p>The skeleton of a roller-coaster track faded ominously against the trees.</p>
<p>‘Is there a town in here somewhere?’ Safiya wondered.</p>
<p>‘Did they move Everlock, or-?’</p>
<p>“Up there!”</p>
<p>Calliope pointed to the top of the Tilt-A-Whirl.</p>
<p>Mat tried to climb up, but a glass bulb exploded in his face.</p>
<p>“Aagh-!?”</p>
<p>“You okay!?”</p>
<p>While she hurried to catch him, the other’s hand shone with golden magic.</p>
<p>“-I am now-“</p>
<p>He regained his footing and tried again-</p>
<p>Safiya looked over her shoulder.</p>
<p>Amongst the continuous blaze, a few stragglers had still managed to escape.</p>
<p>Animatronic eye glaring, Foxy led the pack, followed by a blonde mannequin, their red-haired friend, and a trio of Resident Evil-related bosses with gas masks attached to their faces.</p>
<p>“Incoming-“ she warned-</p>
<p>“Take my hand!”</p>
<p>-So she did, and then they both helped up Calliope.</p>
<p>They crouched low behind the ride’s gilded crown.</p>
<p>Their one saving grace in this mess...</p>
<p>Amber-colored fire rained down from above.</p>
<p>The smells of burning were unpleasant, but it also meant they would soon be free.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>‘-For the record, I dunno if that was all of them or not’.</em>
</p>
<p>The orange orb swooped in-</p>
<p>“Thanks”, Mat said, and he meant it, too.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’m not sure how much longer we would’ve lasted”, Safiya admitted.</p>
<p>She’d torn off her sleeves, and was using strips of them to bandage up the wounds.</p>
<p>Calliope’s magic took care of the rest-</p>
<p>And her own scrapes and injuries as well.</p>
<p>“We’re a good team”, she sagely observed.</p>
<p><em>‘Don’t ask me how </em>that <em>happened....’</em></p>
<p>Mat sighed.</p>
<p>He removed his sunglasses, and wiped away the fog of sweat.</p>
<p>“So Ro’s missing, the green orb is a loose cannon somewhere, and there’s a third orb we’ve lost track of”.</p>
<p>“Sounds about right”.</p>
<p>Safiya finished tying the last knot.</p>
<p>“That’s...not great”.</p>
<p><em>‘Understatement of the year’, </em>the orb grumbled.</p>
<p>“We <em>can </em>find them”, Calliope said, “but we should make sure there are no more reinforcements, first”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Yeah-I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to keep up the fire defense until I pass out’.</em>
</p>
<p>“Please don’t do that”, Safiya chipped.</p>
<p>“-I’m not seeing anything. . .”</p>
<p>Mat turned back to the others.</p>
<p>“All the same, I don’t want to let my guard slip”.</p>
<p>“Same”.</p>
<p>“Of course”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Well no duh-one wrong move and it’s over’.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>So there they were, the four of them, holed atop long-vacated seats.</p>
<p>Waiting.</p>
<p>“-I’m hearing nothing”.</p>
<p>Safiya was the first to break the silence.</p>
<p>“As am I”, Calliope added.</p>
<p>“-Yeah, I think we’re pretty much alone”.</p>
<p>-But Mat still looked for something wooden to hit anyway.</p>
<p>-When he couldn’t find anything, he lightly socked his badge.</p>
<p>‘Wish my day job could come in handy’.</p>
<p>Assuming he hadn’t been <em>fired </em>by now.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Aight, what now’.</em>
</p>
<p>“Can you call the other orbs back?” Safiya asked.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘No’.</em>
</p>
<p>A snort.</p>
<p><em>‘If we could’ve, we would’ve coordinated our own jailbreaks </em>years <em>ago’.</em></p>
<p>“Speaking of those-“</p>
<p>Mat sat up.</p>
<p>“Safiya, how did you know about them? You even knew where they were-“</p>
<p>“I did my research”.</p>
<p>“Okay, but-why?”</p>
<p>He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.</p>
<p>“Ro and I just came for fun, but. . .did you come here for something else? You used to take a lot of pictures before everything got so-“</p>
<p>“Wild?”</p>
<p>She shrugged.</p>
<p>“I wanted to do a story on the urban legend. I just found a bit more than I bargained for”.</p>
<p>“That’s usually how it goes...”</p>
<p>At Calliope’s comment, they both exchanged glances.</p>
<p>Although he was glad <em>her </em>explanation was harmless and simple......</p>
<p>“What about you?”</p>
<p>The woman lifted her head.</p>
<p>“Hm?”</p>
<p>“How’d you end up in this town?”</p>
<p>“....I came here with two friends. They’re both gone now”.</p>
<p>Her gaze grew unfocused, as if she were seeing something else in those stars.</p>
<p>“...I’m sorry-“</p>
<p>“Don’t be”.</p>
<p>She pursed her lips.</p>
<p>“Even though they’re gone, I know they’re both still here”.</p>
<p>-While Safiya didn’t quite understand what that cryptic statement was about, she still got the feeling there was more to the story than the words they had just heard.</p>
<p>“-I’d really like to know what this park thing is”.</p>
<p>“Infinitely better than the one we just left”, Mat said drily.</p>
<p><em>‘Well no kidding’, </em>the orange orb chimed in, <em>‘It’s not cursed’.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“-Found it!”</p>
<p>She finally pulled the map from its hiding spot, after they'd been searching the house for awhile.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Where-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“Under there”.</p>
<p>She set aside the giant book.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘That’s one objective accomplished...’</em>
</p>
<p>“Yeah, and good thing, too”.</p>
<p>She nervously glanced through the window.</p>
<p>“I think a second wave is almost ready”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Then we’d better hurry’.</em>
</p>
<p>The green orb floated over the delicately-detailed paper.</p>
<p>“Do you see it?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-I might have an idea’.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Locked Study.</p>
<p>She could barely pick up the faintest strains of a magical hum-</p>
<p>“Is there a key on the door frame?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘No-and there’s no physical unlocking to be done...we’ll have to find a counterspell’.</em>
</p>
<p>“Can you do anything?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-I would risk being charmed’.</em>
</p>
<p>“Oh. Good point”.</p>
<p>‘That probably means I can’t kick the door in like last time, either...’</p>
<p>“Maybe it’s amongst all her spellbooks”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘You mean where we just were?’</em>
</p>
<p>‘-Oof’.</p>
<p>“Either that, or...”</p>
<p>She shrugged her shoulders apologetically.</p>
<p>“We try to ambush her?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Everlock sure has a lot of stuff in its woods, huh?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. End Of Magic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Amongst the chaos, an enemy is finally defeated.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Fantasy violence.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>‘-Ambush?’</em>
</p><p>“Yeah”.</p><p>She had a hopefulness to her that almost had him sold, and she hadn’t even said more than that, yet.</p><p>Yet.</p><p>“If we take her by surprise”, she continued, “I can knock her down, and you can-use powers on her!</p><p>Or something”.</p><p>
  <em>‘-You’re sure?’</em>
</p><p>“Uh-huh”.</p><p>-He was skeptical.</p><p>
  <em>‘I don’t know anything about this woman’.</em>
</p><p>“I’ve met her. She’s...not very nice”.</p><p>
  <em>Not the most helpful thing she could have said-</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘And?’</em>
</p><p>“-And she has a large Staff. But I bet, if we work together, we could ensure she doesn’t get a chance to use it on us!”</p><p>
  <em>‘Could it really be that simple?’</em>
</p><p>“...It’s better than staring at this lock with no way to undo it”.</p><p>-She had a point.</p><p>
  <em>I might try this-</em>
</p><p>First...</p><p> </p><p>The green orb floated closer.</p><p>“Hey-what are you-?”</p><p>The same energy that had eliminated the clowns washed over the piece of decorated wood in short order.</p><p>‘Whoa. . .’</p><p>She waited for something to happen.</p><p>...</p><p>-A magnificent <em>BANG!</em> rocked the hallway.</p><p>She was felled to the ground-</p><p>“Ow--!!”</p><p>Her elbow stung.</p><p>‘What was that-‘</p><p>She struggled to see through the metallic-smelling smoke.</p><p>“Mr. Orb!?”</p><p>Elaborate, Medieval flute music wafted onto the air.</p><p>‘Oh no-‘</p><p>An alarm?</p><p>“Mr. Orb!!”</p><p>She scrambled to her feet!</p><p>Her muscles ached, and her head pounded-</p><p>
  <em>‘H-Here...’</em>
</p><p>Heart in her throat, she tried to pinpoint where the faint voice was coming from.</p><p>‘-Are those footsteps!?’</p><p>Aaaahh, the timing was all wrong-</p><p>“Mr. Orb-“</p><p>
  <em>‘Look.   .   .down-‘</em>
</p><p>She did.</p><p>A crack in the broken stone.</p><p>“-Are you okay!?”</p><p>She dug the dusty orb free with her fingernails-</p><p>
  <em>‘I think-I’ll manage-‘</em>
</p><p>“What happened!?”</p><p>
  <em>‘Stalemate...shockwaves’.</em>
</p><p>-The footsteps were getting closer-</p><p>‘There’s no place to hide here!’</p><p>Fear rushed through her veins-</p><p>The smoke was magically clearing up.</p><p>The flute music receding...</p><p>“C-Can you do it again-whatever you just did-“</p><p>
  <em>‘I can...try-‘</em>
</p><p>“I think she’s coming-“</p><p>
  <em>‘Don’t hang onto me’.</em>
</p><p>“-Right-“</p><p>She threw the orb up into the air!</p><p>-At the same exact moment the woman of the house came storming around the corner with her gleaming, purple Staff.</p><p>She cringed-</p><p>“How <em>dare </em>you try to-!!” the Sorceress bellowed.</p><p>She was promptly flattened by the sudden emittance of waves.</p><p>‘He did it-!’</p><p>Rushing for the falling magical item, the Visitor grabbed for the shaft-</p><p>“-!”</p><p>A harsh <strong><em>shock </em></strong>ripped through her hands.</p><p>“Ow-!!”</p><p>‘Goodness <em>gravy, </em>that smarts-‘</p><p>-She ended up dropping it.</p><p>‘Wait no-!!’</p><p>Having gotten herself together by now, the Sorceress laughed villainously.</p><p>-Until she tried <em>again </em>to steal it--!</p><p>‘Foolish woman-‘</p><p>She went to grip her arm.</p><p>She was rewarded with a kick to the esophagus.</p><p>‘-!??’</p><p>Doubling over, choking, she was barely aware of her Staff being thieved.</p><p>“Stop. . .thief-!!”</p><p>“I’m no thief-!!”</p><p>With a wince, she whacked the still-crackling tip against the magical lock.</p><p>-The door slid aside, and she toppled in.</p><p>‘Owowowow-‘</p><p>She could <em>feel </em>herself accumulating burns-</p><p>‘But I can’t quit now!’</p><p>Blinking sweat from her eyes, she saw three glowing lights-</p><p>Talismans.</p><p>A candy-pink wire, a wooden eyeball, and a golden gear.</p><p>She smashed one, then the next, then the next.</p><p>“NO!”</p><p>Sorceress-fingernail-claws-</p><p>She panicked, and hit <em>her.</em></p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>Mat’s phone vibrated.</p><p>-He nearly jammed his elbow into the side of their hiding spot-</p><p>“What’s up?” Safiya asked.</p><p>“I don’t know-let me look-“</p><p>Manny:</p><p>
  <em>Hey Mat, where you at?</em>
</p><p>He groaned a little on the inside.</p><p>‘I should have disabled ‘Text’-‘</p><p>It wasn’t that he had anything against the guy, exactly, but it was <em>beginning </em>to appear as if they were about to be swarmed again.</p><p>He could <em>faintly </em>see sparking, jerking, stomping shadows from the trees-</p><p>
  <em>I’m good-can’t talk.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nikita said she called you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yeah-she did-</em>
</p><p>“Mat?” Safiya asked-</p><p>“Hang on-“</p><p>
  <em>What’s up?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Joey’s on the other line. Freaking out-</em>
</p><p>
  <em>About what?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>-Hey Manny, don’t steal my thunder!!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>-Hi Joey.</em>
</p><p>‘I love you guys, but <em>why am I talking to you right now!??’</em></p><p>
  <em>Mat, that town is dangerous!</em>
</p><p>‘A bit late for that-‘</p><p>
  <em>I know. Did Nikita call you too?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yes-</em>
</p><p>‘Of course she did’.</p><p>
  <em>Trust me guys, I’m fine-</em>
</p><p>“Mat-!” Safiya called-</p><p>“Almost finished-“</p><p>
  <em>Thank you for worrying, but I’m okay.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Goodbye-</em>
</p><p>-His phone melted into black plastic.</p><p>“Dude!! Seriously!?”</p><p>
  <em>‘What? You wanted an out?’</em>
</p><p> </p><p>-Even though it would be a relief to avoid even more interruptions, he was <em>still </em>salty.</p><p>‘I paid 90 bucks for that-!’</p><p>“When we get out of here, you’re buying me a new phone”.</p><p>
  <em>‘Why would I know anything about phones!?’</em>
</p><p>“Because you <em>just melted </em>mine-“</p><p>“They’re here”.</p><p>-They both shut their mouths.</p><p>Soundlessly joining Calliope at the edge-</p><p>Mat sighed at the new armada of animatronics.</p><p>Mannequins.</p><p>And. . .walking suits.</p><p>‘Here we go aga-‘</p><p>
  <em>Poof.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Poof-</em>
</p><p>And<em> poof.</em></p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>The Sorceress <em>screamed.</em></p><p>Her whole <em>body </em>was twisting and contorting, shrinking with every second that passed by-</p><p>“Wh-What’s happening!?”</p><p>She dropped the Staff, vibrating excessively, and puffing purple mist.</p><p>
  <em>‘Magical Item failure’.</em>
</p><p>The green orb wafted in a stuttered pattern to her shoulder.</p><p>“...What does that mean?”</p><p>
  <em>‘I don’t know’.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>A velvet cat plush.</p><p>The Sorceress’s Final Form...</p><p>“Oh my gosh-“</p><p>She reached for her-</p><p>
  <em>‘No time’.</em>
</p><p>The green orb choppily floated to the exit-</p><p>
  <em>‘Look-the walls are dissolving-‘</em>
</p><p>She gasped.</p><p>“Wha-why--”</p><p>
  <em>‘Because the Owner is no longer able to keep them up’.</em>
</p><p>(-She still scooped the toy animal into her arms anyway).</p><p> </p><p>As she ran, leaves and trees slowly took over the once-bright and shining home.</p><p>‘I did this. . .’</p><p>It seemed impossible, but it was true-</p><p>‘I didn’t mean to get her stuck like that, I just wanted-‘</p><p>Although she didn’t regret that they were safe, she wished she’d only knocked her unconscious.</p><p>‘How is she gonna turn back without magic?’</p><p>-She had the sinking feeling that she <em>couldn’t........</em></p><p>“Where are we going!? Slow down-“</p><p>
  <em>‘We have to catch up with the others’.</em>
</p><p>She stumbled to a stop.</p><p>“But I <em>don’t know them!!”</em></p><p>The green orb paused. . . .</p><p>“I’m sorry...”</p><p><em>‘...It matters not. One of them can </em>definitely <em>restore your memory-‘</em></p><p>“Hold on for five minutes...”</p><p>Branches rustled as a person emerged.</p><p>“Leaving without me, are you?”</p><p>It was the Guest.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Don't underestimate Rosanna, guys.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Blue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Separated, but safe, everyone is about to find out there is a new player in this 'game'.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Near-death.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>‘You-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“Phew! You made it...”</p>
<p>She clapped her hands together in relief.</p>
<p>“I didn’t see what happened after that energy blasted you back and I was worried-“</p>
<p>“The Lady of the house decided I needed to be locked up”.</p>
<p>A smirk.</p>
<p>“But I found a way out-and so did you, it would seem”.</p>
<p>“Yeah-and...we don’t have to worry about her anymore-“</p>
<p>She lifted up the stuffed animal.</p>
<p>“-Are you telling me that’s-?”</p>
<p>“Yes...”</p>
<p>“Well kudos to you”.</p>
<p>She smiled in response, but it wasn’t full.</p>
<p>“-And the orb?”</p>
<p>“Oh-“</p>
<p>She turned to him.</p>
<p>“He showed up to do something about some armies attacking his friends?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘<strong>Your </strong>friends’.</em>
</p>
<p>A <em>heaviness</em> filled the air.</p>
<p><em>‘You call me an orb, but you know me </em>well, <em>don’t you’.</em></p>
<p>“-Huh?”</p>
<p>She was confused-</p>
<p>“Hmm. Do I?”</p>
<p>She coughed.</p>
<p>A light glow was starting to emanate from him.</p>
<p>‘Wh. . .ugh....my.......head-‘</p>
<p>
  <em>‘How despicable. You betray us, and then you <strong>forget!?’</strong></em>
</p>
<p>‘What...?’</p>
<p>“-Ah”.</p>
<p>At that moment, the Guest had a light-bulb.</p>
<p>“-For a Guardian, you sure are compact now”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘How <strong>dare </strong>you-!’</em>
</p>
<p>“U-Um. . .”</p>
<p>She wheezed-</p>
<p>“Sorry-but-I--don’t---”</p>
<p>She inhaled. . .</p>
<p>“Know what-you’re talking-“</p>
<p>“If you kill her, what will you do?”</p>
<p>The Guest grinned.</p>
<p>“Her friends will be along, soon-“</p>
<p>
  <em>‘GET OUT!!’</em>
</p>
<p>“-Alright, alright, no need to shout-“</p>
<p>He put up his hands and walked off, <em>just </em>missing the concentrated beam of Pure Radium.</p>
<p>‘Huh. . .’</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Drat-!’</em>
</p>
<p>She glanced at the steaming orb.</p>
<p>“. . .What was that?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘My brother and I used to know him as a friend’.</em>
</p>
<p>He hovered in place, remembering...</p>
<p>
  <em>‘We’d been watching affairs devolve in Everlock, and he was the one who suggested we meet up at the Church to seal the Carnival Master away for good’.</em>
</p>
<p>“So what happened?”</p>
<p>She’d heard that name before-</p>
<p><em>‘We found him waiting for us; with the light of his crystal, </em>we <em>were the ones sealed instead’.</em></p>
<p>A ragged note of pain in his voice, then-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘'All according to plan'. . .that was the last thing I heard from him’.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No longer in imminent danger, the trio climbed down from the ride, orange orb zipping in suit-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Yes! It’s about time-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“You still owe me 90 bucks!!”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-Who pays that much for a phone!?’</em>
</p>
<p>“Clearly you haven’t seen the iPhone market”, Safiya remarked.</p>
<p><em>‘Who buys phones for their </em>eyes!?’</p>
<p>Calliope quietly listened to their bantering.</p>
<p>‘Their morale is still up’.</p>
<p>Despite everything-</p>
<p>‘.....Jael, Ryu...you won’t mind if they finish what we started?’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They re-entered the woods.</p>
<p>They weren’t accustomed to such...silence-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-You sure there’s nothing else in the bushes?’</em>
</p>
<p>“-You burned them all”, Safiya reminded him.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-Oh yeah’.</em>
</p>
<p>Mat didn’t dare announce to the world ‘at least we’re still alive-‘</p>
<p>His foot fell in a dirt pocket-</p>
<p>“Whoah-!?”</p>
<p>He collapsed forward, almost-</p>
<p>Safiya and Calliope both caught him in time.</p>
<p>His throat was <em>inches </em>away from being impaled on a sharp branch.</p>
<p>“. . .Thanks guys-“</p>
<p>They helped him straighten back up.</p>
<p><em>‘I think you have a gazillion lives’</em>, the orange orb cracked.</p>
<p>“If only”.</p>
<p>He brushed the leaves from his pant leg.</p>
<p>“How long until Halloween. . .?”</p>
<p>“More than ten days”, was Safiya’s estimate-</p>
<p>“Wonderful. . .”</p>
<p>-The vegetation ahead rustled.</p>
<p>‘Oh crap-‘</p>
<p><em>‘Get ready’, </em>the orb intoned.</p>
<p>Already glowing with an inner, orange flame-</p>
<p>“Going to set me on fire, are you?”</p>
<p>-It wasn’t a voice they knew.</p>
<p>But when <em>he </em>heard it-</p>
<p>
  <em>“YOU!!”</em>
</p>
<p>‘Unhappy reunion, I’m guessing?’ Safiya thought-</p>
<p>A man in blue emerged.</p>
<p>“Another traveler?” Calliope posited.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Nope’.</em>
</p>
<p>“Then who?” Mat asked.</p>
<p>“-I had a feeling you’d <em>also </em>be free”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Yeah-no thanks to <strong>you-!!’</strong></em>
</p>
<p>The man only had to step back to dodge the spray of embers.</p>
<p>“You guys know each other?”</p>
<p>Mat’s eyes ping-ponged from the orb to the stranger.</p>
<p><em>‘Wish we never met’, </em>was the answering snort.</p>
<p>Literally.</p>
<p>Little smoke rings arose-</p>
<p>“How unfortunate”.</p>
<p>The man sighed.</p>
<p>“Especially when right now, you need me”.</p>
<p>“’Need you’?” Safiya questioned.</p>
<p>“That’s the truth....”</p>
<p>He opened his hand, and it sparked.</p>
<p>“I’m Reality, as luck would have it-pleased to meet you all”.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘All according to plan’.</p>
<p>The younger man they’d narrowly avoided earlier solemnly regarded the wreckage.</p>
<p>‘So much for the would-be usurper’.</p>
<p>That woman had been tougher than she’d looked.</p>
<p>‘Oh well...’</p>
<p>Even though his previous employer was now a stuffed tote-imal, he still had his shop...</p>
<p>‘I think they’ll be stopping by <em>very </em>soon’.</p>
<p>Werewolf howling, from somewhere in the distance.</p>
<p>‘-Almost forgot about them...’</p>
<p>More voices joined the chorus.</p>
<p>‘No doubt, they’re mourning their Master’.</p>
<p>He shook his head.</p>
<p>‘Poor creatures’.</p>
<p>He walked away into the underbrush.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“-What’s your name?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-What?’</em>
</p>
<p>They’d been walking in silence for quite a while ever since the last outburst...</p>
<p>“It just...”</p>
<p>She bit her lip.</p>
<p>“It occurred to me that I still don’t know your name-“</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-Is that all?’</em>
</p>
<p>He floated along-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘My name is Space’.</em>
</p>
<p>“-That’s cool”.</p>
<p>She wrung her hands together.</p>
<p>“And mine...is Rosanna?”</p>
<p>-They almost stopped.</p>
<p>Almost.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-Yes. That’s right-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“. . .What are...my friends’ names?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Mat, Safiya, and...Calliope?’</em>
</p>
<p>“...How did I lose my memory?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘....I don’t know. But-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“But?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘If I had to guess...I would say-you’d come in contact with the third orb’.</em>
</p>
<p>“’Third Orb’?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-You just met him’.</em>
</p>
<p>She blinked.</p>
<p>-Then it dawned on her.</p>
<p>“The <em>guy!?”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>‘Yes’.</em>
</p>
<p>“...How? You’re an orb too, and. . .”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘He’s either lucky, or it’s a perk of being friends with the Carnival Master.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The last two times, you nearly died setting us free.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>However-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“You think-“</p>
<p>She was <em>slowly </em>putting together the pieces-</p>
<p>“Because he was on a different side, I lost-“</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Something to that accord’.</em>
</p>
<p>He gleamed slightly, in annoyance.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Only he, would truly know’.</em>
</p>
<p>“-And we can’t trust him”, she finished sadly.</p>
<p>‘He was so nice to me...’</p>
<p>
  <em>‘You can never judge a book by its cover’.</em>
</p>
<p>-At this point, she wouldn’t have been surprised at all if he could read her thoughts.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The trees gave way.</p>
<p>“Huh?”</p>
<p>A barber shop.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘-We need to turn around-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“Eh? Why?”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘This is <strong>not </strong>a good place-‘</em>
</p>
<p>-Something light, but sharp promptly stuck her in the arm.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Phew! The prompt for this one was tough.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Serum</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Time is ticking to find someone-</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Needle, restraints, phys. violence, and slapping.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>. . . . . ?</p>
<p>She woke up.</p>
<p>‘Huh...?’</p>
<p>She was sitting in a chair, limbs tied to it, actually.</p>
<p>There was a smock around her neck.</p>
<p>‘What’s this-‘</p>
<p>-A head bobbed into her vision.</p>
<p>“Awake now? Are you?”</p>
<p>“-What’s going on here?”</p>
<p>“That’s what they always ask. . .”</p>
<p>“Who does?”</p>
<p>“Them”.</p>
<p>He moved around behind her.</p>
<p>“I can’t see you when you do that-“</p>
<p>“I know”.</p>
<p>“Oookay-“</p>
<p>She didn’t feel particularly scared of her predicament?<br/>Just...</p>
<p>‘Am I dreaming?’</p>
<p>After being held up by that woman and nearly being mind-manipulated, she <em>really </em>wasn’t in the mood to stay a captive.</p>
<p>‘This is ridiculous’.</p>
<p>She pulled at the arms.</p>
<p>She tried to rock the feet.</p>
<p>-For some reason, it wouldn’t move...</p>
<p>“You may as well settle down”.</p>
<p>A hand clamped onto her shoulder.</p>
<p>“It’s not like you’re leaving anytime soon”.</p>
<p>“Who <em>are </em>you?”</p>
<p>He smiled slightly...</p>
<p>“My name’s Calvin. I don’t expect you’ll have much time to wear it out”.</p>
<p>He withdrew a clear syringe.</p>
<p>“Uh, what’s that-“</p>
<p>“No worries. It’ll only stiffen you up a bit-“</p>
<p>“-Excuse me, that sounds wrong-“</p>
<p>“Well pardon me, then”.</p>
<p>He pushed in the tip.</p>
<p>Slowly.   .    .       .</p>
<p>Cease and desist every air bubble.</p>
<p>“It’ll only hurt for a pinch-“</p>
<p>He began to lower it toward her <em>neck.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>“You’re </em>Reality?”</p>
<p>Safiya raised an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Not exactly ‘stuck’ anymore, are you?”</p>
<p>“-Playing for the other team has its perks-“</p>
<p>
  <em>‘I am going to <strong>kill </strong>you-!!’</em>
</p>
<p>Mat swiped the orange orb from the air.</p>
<p>“-Fry him later. Right now, we need him”.</p>
<p>“Yes, that’s right”, Calliope agreed, “I assume you’ve seen Ro-“</p>
<p>“I have”.</p>
<p>He nodded.</p>
<p>“How is she?”</p>
<p>Mat’s voice broke.</p>
<p>“Is she okay-“</p>
<p>“She’s forgotten all of her memories”.</p>
<p>“What!?”</p>
<p>“How-“ Safiya started-</p>
<p>“Again. Perks. Needed me to escape easier so I can ‘serve’ him again at some point”.</p>
<p>“’Perks’”, Mat repeated, stung by the news-</p>
<p>“She forgot everything for <em>perks. . .”</em></p>
<p>“Have no fear, Mat”, Calliope reassured him, “With my magic, I could restore what she’s lost”.</p>
<p>“-Really?”</p>
<p>“Yes”.</p>
<p>-He nearly started sobbing with relief that moment.</p>
<p>“Thank you....”</p>
<p>“Where is she now?” Safiya questioned.</p>
<p>“Up ahead”.</p>
<p>He looked toward the trees he had emerged from.....</p>
<p>“She’s with the green orb”.</p>
<p><em>‘That’s better than no one....’</em> the orange orb grumbled.</p>
<p>“Why did you leave her?” Mat yelled, upset-</p>
<p>“Because I would’ve been <em>flattened </em>by radiation that’s why”.</p>
<p>. . . . . Mat uttered a ragged laugh.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ro panicked, and head-butted him.</p>
<p>“Ow-!”</p>
<p>Not only did he clutch at his nose, but he <em>also </em>dropped the needle.</p>
<p>‘-I didn’t mean to do that, but I’m glad I did-‘</p>
<p>But how was she-</p>
<p>‘Where’s the other guy!?’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(-Currently resting in a pile of leaves.</p>
<p>After being Tiro-Finale-Level slapped out of thin air).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was beginning to look like she was on her own-</p>
<p>“-You’re a dangerous one, aren’t you?”</p>
<p>“Steer clear!”</p>
<p>“I’m afraid I can’t do that”.</p>
<p>“You could-you just don’t want to”.</p>
<p>-He didn’t disagree.</p>
<p>For some reason, that gave her a flash of power-</p>
<p>‘What can I do to get myself loose?’</p>
<p>She scanned the room-</p>
<p>It was spotlessly white and clean.</p>
<p>There were a few fake ferns here and nearby, reminding her of Christmas trees.</p>
<p>‘What a bizarre thing to think of at a time like this. . .’</p>
<p>If she squinted, she could <em>almost </em>spy a few dolls in frilly dresses behind the counter-</p>
<p>‘So weird’.</p>
<p>He picked himself back up.</p>
<p>“A futile effort...but a commendable one. . . .”</p>
<p>He leaned in a second round.</p>
<p>“Don’t bother struggling anymore”.</p>
<p>His free hand firmly braced the nape of her neck-</p>
<p>The door <em>flew </em>open, and a blur in a brown coat swiftly tackled him to the ground.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Safiya untied her while Mat’s pent-up rage exerted itself.</p>
<p>“-Might want to dial it down over there”.</p>
<p><em>‘I think he’s outdone </em>me-‘</p>
<p>“That’s not necessarily a good thing”.</p>
<p>She helped Ro up.</p>
<p>“You good?”</p>
<p>“. . .I’m functioning-“</p>
<p>“Fair”.</p>
<p>They then went to help Calliope pry Mat off.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was unconscious-</p>
<p>And she didn’t desire to look at his face for too long.</p>
<p>‘My goodness-‘</p>
<p>“Mat-“</p>
<p>“Ro!?”</p>
<p>“-Please don’t ever do that again-“</p>
<p>He gulped.</p>
<p>She could, somehow, tell that he was both <em>extremely </em>relieved for her safety, and a bit sickened at what had transpired.</p>
<p>“I’ll try not to...but-“</p>
<p>“He’s not gonna wake up for a while”, Safiya promised.</p>
<p><em>‘Should we even leave him alive?’ </em>the orange orb suggested, <em>‘If he wakes up anytime soon, he’ll make things difficult’.</em></p>
<p>“Not unless we put him in his own chair”.</p>
<p>Calliope heaved the body from the floor.</p>
<p>“Who wants to help?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-Searching amongst his <em>stuff, </em>Mat discovered an old, tiny radio playing a tinny version of ‘Jingle Bells’.</p>
<p>Disgusted, he turned it off.</p>
<p>Safiya inspected the dolls-</p>
<p>“They’ve got lights for eyes”, she noticed-</p>
<p>“I don’t want ‘em”.</p>
<p><em>‘Who </em>does?’</p>
<p>Mat removed a newspaper from the Wastebasket.</p>
<p>‘Carnival shuts down as rumors abound about Killer Clowns infiltrating the Staff’.</p>
<p>“Hey-I think I found something-“</p>
<p>Safiya peered over his shoulder.</p>
<p>‘Citizens evacuated, and Everlock moved as more than 160 employees are charged with masquerading as respected citizens’.</p>
<p>She pointed to the next issue.</p>
<p>“And <em>there’s </em>our explanation”.</p>
<p>“They must’ve missed one”, Mat snarked bitterly.</p>
<p>“Yeah...snakes will gather if one’s left to roost....” Safiya’s gears were turning a thousand miles a minute.</p>
<p>“But then...why a resurgence of the Clan?”</p>
<p>“Probably didn’t like the way Janet was running things?” he guessed-</p>
<p>“Maybe...or maybe they missed the Carnival Master, too”.</p>
<p>“-You think he was in on it?”</p>
<p>“Look:”</p>
<p>She tapped three photos.</p>
<p>One was of a mild-mannered man.</p>
<p>‘Nick Faust, missing since Oct. 31<sup>st</sup>, 197-‘</p>
<p>The other two?</p>
<p>‘Jael Shannon and Ryu Nakamura discovered dead in Everlock Chapel-‘</p>
<p>“Something definitely happened”, was Mat’s take.</p>
<p>‘Calliope Angelos badly injured in theft of the precious Life Crystal’.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘. . . . . ?’</p>
<p>-The last thing he remembered was a sickening <em>impact pain.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>What...happened-</em>
</p>
<p>His vision was so blurry, he couldn’t even tell which way was up.</p>
<p>
  <em>Where-</em>
</p>
<p>.  .  .</p>
<p>Faintly, as he tried to find the ‘sky’, a reddish fog loomed.</p>
<p>
  <em>What’s.....that-</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Something evil this way comes...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. The Shell</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's time for real freedom.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Fantasy violence, death.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Darkness.</p>
<p>
  <em>Who am I?</em>
</p>
<p>Gold lights.</p>
<p>Spiraling...closer. . . .</p>
<p>
  <em>Remember...Remember........</em>
</p>
<p>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ro opened her eyes.</p>
<p>“...Thank you Calliope!”</p>
<p>She beamed a thousand-kilowatt smile-</p>
<p>“It worked?”</p>
<p>“Yes-!!”</p>
<p>-She hugged her.</p>
<p>“Thank you thank you <em>thank you-!!”</em></p>
<p>The woman blinked, surprised.</p>
<p>“You’re welcome-“</p>
<p>She pulled back.</p>
<p>“I don’t know how-“</p>
<p>“It’s quite alright”.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mat! Mat-“</p>
<p>“What-“</p>
<p>-He was promptly bear-hugged.</p>
<p>“They’re baaack!!! My memories are back---”</p>
<p>“That’s great, Ro!”</p>
<p>He hugged her, taking care not to squeeze her too hard-</p>
<p>“I’m so glad you’re not gone forever-“</p>
<p>“Same here! I would totally miss you-“</p>
<p>“I would miss you too!!”</p>
<p>His eyes became wet-</p>
<p>‘Thank you. . .<em>so much, </em>Calliope-!!’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Meanwhile, Safiya was looking through more papers behind the counter-</p>
<p>‘Junk Mail. . .Ads. . .welp-‘</p>
<p>
  <em>WANTED for doll murders-</em>
</p>
<p>‘What do we have here?’</p>
<p>She walked out, already plotting for where she could carry such useful material-</p>
<p>“Hey guys?”</p>
<p>Ro and Mat both looked up from their reunion.</p>
<p>“What-“</p>
<p><em>‘That is a </em>crap<em>-ton of smoke out there’, </em>the orange orb declared, floating in front of the window.</p>
<p>“Indeed...”</p>
<p>Calliope frowned.</p>
<p>Mat sighed.</p>
<p>“Our peace is short-lived, huh?”</p>
<p>“Depends on what it means”, Safiya said.</p>
<p>“Could be something good...”</p>
<p>She had the feeling it wasn’t, though. . .</p>
<p>‘Our luck hasn’t been that great’.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Footsteps.</p>
<p>
  <em>This can’t be anything good.</em>
</p>
<p>A scarlet aura, dangerously foreboding.</p>
<p>
  <em>Watch me be right-</em>
</p>
<p>“-And what do we have here?”</p>
<p>Someone knelt.</p>
<p>A blur of crimson and gold.</p>
<p>“A lost Soul?”</p>
<p>
  <em>-Do you have to rub it in?</em>
</p>
<p>“You will be <em>perfect </em>for my exhibit”.</p>
<p>
  <em>-Excuse me?</em>
</p>
<p>Of all the things she could have said-</p>
<p>She <em>had </em>to say <em>that!</em></p>
<p>He radiated.</p>
<p>She winced.</p>
<p>“Insolent fool...”</p>
<p>
  <em>Back. Off.</em>
</p>
<p>Light erupted in a strange starburst-</p>
<p>A spear-</p>
<p>“We will see, who you really are-“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lightning <em>rippled.</em></p>
<p>They could <em>all </em>glimpse its volatility through the glass-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘We have to go out there!!’</em>
</p>
<p>The orange orb flickered in place, clearly agitated.</p>
<p>‘He <em>could be out there...!!’</em></p>
<p>“Yeah...”</p>
<p>Safiya swallowed-</p>
<p>‘We never <em>did </em>find the green guy, did we.....’</p>
<p>“Could Calvin have done something!?”</p>
<p>Ro glanced worriedly at the captive killer-</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t put it past him from what little I saw”, Mat retorted in a clipped tone.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘We should still be going out there-!!!’</em>
</p>
<p>“Shh”.</p>
<p>Calliope put a finger to her lips.</p>
<p>“I think-I can hear a voice”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘...Voice of who’.</em>
</p>
<p>“In a minute”, she responded quietly, “Let me listen-“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>If I </em>wanted <em>to be a pincushion, I would have done it myself.</em></p>
<p>The steel tip was <em>uncomfortably </em>close-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘The heck do you want from me?’</em>
</p>
<p>“-The Soul speaks”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Of course, don’t you’.</em>
</p>
<p>She smiled, but it was false.</p>
<p>“Future exhibits should not have such attitude”.</p>
<p><em>‘I am not an exhibit’, </em>he said matter-of-factly.</p>
<p>“You will be, soon”.</p>
<p>She brought the tip down.</p>
<p>
  <em>Don’t panic-</em>
</p>
<p>He <em>pushed back </em>with as much strength as he was able to muster, a thin, flimsy radium shield keeping him from immediately becoming a skewer on a snapping stick.</p>
<p>
  <em>Come on, come on-!!</em>
</p>
<p>He-had-to-keep--it---up----!-!-!-!</p>
<p>He felt-</p>
<p>Something crack.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘What-‘</em>
</p>
<p>He didn’t-have time to figure out what it was--</p>
<p>“You cannot hold against me forever”.</p>
<p>
  <em>Don’t-give-in-!!</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“-The Collector”.</p>
<p>Calliope gasped-</p>
<p>“Who?”</p>
<p>Mat blinked in confusion.</p>
<p>“She collects the Souls of the Dead”.</p>
<p>“-Are there any corpses here?” Ro asked-</p>
<p>“None that I’ve seen”, Safiya concluded.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘So?’</em>
</p>
<p>The orange orb continued to be cantankerous-</p>
<p>
  <em>‘What kind of power-‘</em>
</p>
<p>“She can steal the life force from others, and trap them in a Museum. Forever”.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Are you serious!??’</em>
</p>
<p>“I am”.</p>
<p>“-Does she have a weakness!?” Ro fretted-</p>
<p>“What do we do-“</p>
<p>“I could stab her with my knife?”</p>
<p>“Mat, she’s impervious to such attacks...unless it’s as Holy as Excalibur-“</p>
<p><em>‘We were </em>all <em>in the Church earlier’, </em>the orange orb chimed in, <em>‘It oughta be-‘</em></p>
<p>“Amazing. . .”</p>
<p>‘A lucky twist of Fate’.</p>
<p>“May I?”</p>
<p>He shrugged, then removed it from somewhere in his borrowed coat.</p>
<p>She ran her hand over the smooth surface-</p>
<p>Golden sparks crackled from her fingertips.</p>
<p>Her eyes widened.</p>
<p>“-With this, we might have a chance!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was growing tired.</p>
<p>Mentally fading out-</p>
<p>
  <em>Not-yet-</em>
</p>
<p>After spending <em>so long </em>trapped-</p>
<p><em>No...</em>more-!</p>
<p><em>-Another</em> cracking sound blew in his ears.</p>
<p>One of several from the last few minutes-</p>
<p><em>What </em>is <em>that-?</em></p>
<p>He hoped-it-would-</p>
<p>Help-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A shattering.</p>
<p>A rush of air-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Those still on the inside had their retinas seared by a <em>massive </em>flash of emerald light.</p>
<p>The woman’s electric surge reflected back to her, making her jolt in place.</p>
<p>“---!!”</p>
<p>He realized something.</p>
<p>For once, he could move <em>freely.</em></p>
<p>‘Unbelievable-‘</p>
<p>He was ready to believe it.</p>
<p>He spun around, and aimed a palm-strike at her sternum-</p>
<p>He heard the bone <em>break.</em></p>
<p>Her breath catch <em>sharply-</em></p>
<p>She swayed on her feet, and then-</p>
<p>She didn’t fall.</p>
<p>Instead, she <em>laughed.</em></p>
<p>‘What!?’</p>
<p>Rather than <em>die </em>in that moment-</p>
<p>She was...<em>healing!??</em></p>
<p>A chill of <strong>dread </strong>rushed over him.</p>
<p>‘How-‘</p>
<p>“You have just made a <em>big mistake </em>you cannot undo”.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-When the glare faded, <em>everyone </em>was seeing stars.</p>
<p>“Ohhhhkay-brain burn-!” Safiya said in ‘this-is-fine-‘</p>
<p>“Mat! Look!!”</p>
<p>Ro flung her finger anxiously at the settling fight outdoors.</p>
<p>“Look-!!!”</p>
<p>“-What’s-“</p>
<p>Mat frantically rubbed his fingers against his eyes, and then squinted for a better view-</p>
<p>“-He’s <em>got </em>her!” Calliope said-</p>
<p>And then-</p>
<p>“Oh. I was afraid of that-“</p>
<p><em>‘Now would be a good time for that knife-!!’ </em>the orange orb insisted---</p>
<p>Mat flung open the door.</p>
<p>“HEY!!” he shouted-</p>
<p>
  <em>“CATCH!!”</em>
</p>
<p>The sharp object of destruction went <em>flying </em>through the air-</p>
<p>Space caught it.</p>
<p>The Collector’s smirk was still firmly upon her lips, not knowing-</p>
<p>She swiped at him.</p>
<p>He fell-</p>
<p>
  <em>Exhausted.</em>
</p>
<p>But.</p>
<p>She stopped.</p>
<p>Looked down.</p>
<p>The blade sticking out of her stomach.</p>
<p>White light began to scroll across her skin in the form of lightning veins. . .</p>
<p>She collapsed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“. . .Could it have been...her?”</p>
<p>She held up the cat stuffy.</p>
<p>They were all together.</p>
<p>Minus Reality...</p>
<p>Watching their newest enemy dissolve into a pile of beach-like sand.</p>
<p>“What’s that?”</p>
<p>Mat had to de-fog his glasses-</p>
<p>“The Sorceress”.</p>
<p>“What-“</p>
<p>“It’s a loooong story”, she promised, “but...you <em>did </em>say....she collected. . .souls of the Dead, Calliope......”</p>
<p>"-That's true", she agreed.</p>
<p>Safiya helped the formerly-green orb up.</p>
<p>It looked like she was lifting a greenish-black shadow-</p>
<p>"You okay?"</p>
<p>"-I've been better. . ."</p>
<p>"Yeah, I can tell-you've got a black eye".</p>
<p>Calliope turned.</p>
<p>"I can heal that for you-"</p>
<p>"Yes, thank you".</p>
<p>The orange orb flittered around his head, overjoyed.</p>
<p><em>'Man, don't </em>scare <em>me like that again, geez-!!'</em></p>
<p>He smiled.</p>
<p>"I'll try not to".</p>
<p>"-Oh yeah!" Ro suddenly dramatically gasped-</p>
<p>"You don't know, do you?"</p>
<p>"-Know what-"</p>
<p>"Calliope saved my memories!"</p>
<p>"-So all's well that ends....we just need to free you, Time, and deal with a certain blue traitor-"</p>
<p><em>"And </em>I'm pretty sure there are still werewolves in these woods".</p>
<p>Mat grimaced.</p>
<p>"I could hear them howling earlier-"</p>
<p>"How <em>did </em>they get here?" Calliope wondered.</p>
<p>"I thought the Sorceress summoned them-"</p>
<p>"Her house that she made disappeared when I zapped her with her own Staff", Ro told him.</p>
<p>"-Well maybe they're gone then. I don't know".</p>
<p>"-More importantly, where's the Staff?" Space asked.</p>
<p>"I don't know, either...I think it broke apart in my hands".</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Calvin awoke.</p>
<p>Blinking groggily, he started to stand-</p>
<p>He couldn't.</p>
<p>'. . .Hm?'</p>
<p>He was tied to the chair.</p>
<p>He sighed.</p>
<p>He whistled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A cabinet in the rear, rattled.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Everybody really took a level.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Last Gasp Of A Killer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Prompt: 'The Glass Menagerie'.</p>
<p>In the aftermath of the Collector's defeat, an enemy they thought vanquished returns.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Guilt, death, fantasy violence. Hints of bullying.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The body fully dissolved into nothing.</p><p>Mat bit his lip.</p><p>“-Is it bad that now I’m feeling kinda guilty? I’m not exactly the type of guy to make stabbing people a habit-“</p><p>“If you’re going to blame anyone, blame <em>me”.</em></p><p>Space winced slightly at the effort-</p><p>Calliope was still in the middle of healing him, her hand on his.</p><p>“I was the one who threw it after you did”.</p><p>“Yeah! It’s not your fault”, Ro reassured, “And you had to do it-it was self-defense”.</p><p>“-Never in a million years did I think you would be saying something like that”, he said frankly.</p><p>“....I fully agree with that statement”, Mat seconded.</p><p>Ro shrugged.</p><p>“-When I get home, I can cry about it properly”.</p><p>“Mood”, Safiya agreed.</p><p>
  <em>‘-If I cried, my tears would set everything on fire’.</em>
</p><p>“Oh my”.</p><p>Calliope raised both eyebrows.</p><p>Space snickered.</p><p>“They would-“</p><p>Mat felt himself relax.</p><p>‘....Can we breathe?’</p><p>Was leaning towards ‘could’. . . . .</p><p>And <em>then </em>the door flew open.</p><p>Lo, and behold-</p><p>It was the man who’d tried to stab Ro with a needle-</p><p>‘Wow. I did <em>that </em>much damage to his face’.</p><p>He was almost frightened of his own strength for a moment.</p><p>‘Wait-‘</p><p>How had he-?</p><p>“Calvin!?”</p><p>Rosanna stared at him in <em>shock.</em></p><p>“What in the world-“</p><p>“You’ve-“</p><p>-He spit out a tooth.</p><p>Needless to say, Mat was no longer intimidated.</p><p>“-Greatly underestimated me!”</p><p>He moved from the doorway.</p><p>-A menagerie of glass animals barreled through the door-</p><p>“On loan from the Sorceress”, he grinned...</p><p>They were promptly set upon by fire.</p><p><em>‘-Uh-huh. Yeah, you just </em>keep <em>talking. . . . . .’</em></p><p>“What!?”</p><p>He gaped as they melted into clear, bubbling piles.</p><p>“-Should I punch him again?” Mat whispered-</p><p>“I wouldn’t be against it-“ Safiya said-</p><p>Space radiated the scissors from their fixture, and they clonked the man in the head.</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>“-That was rather anti-climactic”, Ro quipped.</p><p>“We deserved it-and so did he”, Mat added.</p><p>“I highly doubt we will be bothered again if we re-tie him up”, Calliope deadpanned.</p><p>-So that was what they did.</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>*</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>They started walking.</p><p>“Once we find Reality, what then?” Ro asked.</p><p>“It’s not yet Halloween...is it?”</p><p>“Nope”, Safiya answered.</p><p><em>‘But there <strong>are </strong>three life crystals we can break to stop him’, </em>Time said, <em>‘he made them impenetrable unless a human were to combine forces with us knowing we’d be on his trail’.</em></p><p>“-That’s why our initial plan <em>was </em>to capture him. Until we could earn someone’s trust enough-“</p><p>Space sighed.</p><p>“Who would you have gone to?” Mat wondered, “Everyone in town seemed pretty ready to defer to Janet”.</p><p>“-Except me”.</p><p>Calliope’s face was serious.</p><p>“Did he know-?”</p><p><em>‘-We didn’t’, </em>Time huffed, <em>‘The jerk probably figured it out himself-darn it, we were lost from the start, weren’t we!?’</em></p><p>“When you think of it like that. . .”</p><p>Space pursed his lips.</p><p>“I take it you knew him?”</p><p>“Some friends of mine and I once entered this town to stop him”.</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>*</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>The SAE had received word from the Everlock Museum that a precious eldritch artifact was in danger.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘We need you to guard it with your lives’.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Understood’.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They’d arrived, in civilian garb so they wouldn’t stand out.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It worked, too well.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jael got around just fine.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ryu. . .</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They learned not to mess with him long.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But her?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘She’s a witch-‘</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>It wasn’t all bad-</em>
</p><p>
  <em>This nice man would occasionally come around.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Name’s Nick. . .no, I’m a janitor, not a security guard.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I’m not very exciting, to be honest.</em>
</p><p><em>Can’t </em>wait <em>for the security detail to get here....whenever that is.</em></p><p>
  <em>You know, lately, I’ve been hearing voices......’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>-He laughed off going to get it checked out.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Hasn’t been harming me any. . .for once, I actually feel like I matter in this sorry town’.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>If only they’d connected it to their vanquished enemy.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>If only.....</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They’d been able to stop the robbery.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The cascades of dark magic-</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Well, well! Looks like you’re all just in time-‘</em>
</p><p>
  <em>First Jael, tossed into a wall.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then Ryu, with his throat crushed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She’d thought she would die herself, but he escaped-</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But she caught him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The Chapel-</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her magic sealed him, her grief and anger over the betrayal proving to be powerful indeed-</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It collapsed in the golden fire.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It returned next Halloween as the Church.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>*</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>“-I’m really sorry, Calliope”, Mat said softly.</p><p>“It’s in the past now”.</p><p>“But what about. . .whatever voice that was?”</p><p>Safiya was understandably concerned-</p><p>“Does that mean he broke out?”</p><p>“No-although I do believe he intended to use the Carnival Master to achieve it”.</p><p>“That’s devious...”<br/></p><p>Ro shivered.</p><p>“They had to deal with him first for a reason”, Space shrugged.</p><p><em>‘And if we can’t defeat his trump card, he probably </em>will <em>escape’.</em></p><p>“We can’t let that happen”.</p><p>Mat’s throat had gone dry-</p><p>“We’ll worry about Reality for later-what’s the deal with these Life Stones?”</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>. . .Reality was walking along when he heard a rustling.</p><p>“Hello?”</p><p>The group?</p><p>Perhaps-</p><p>Little light played over a glassy substance.</p><p>‘A unicorn’.</p><p>He found it a bit odd that one would peek-</p><p>Appropriately enough, they were shy.</p><p>‘Hasn’t lost the horn, I see....’</p><p>Narrowly thwarting Fate?</p><p>‘Unheard of’.</p><p>“Shoo”, he said.</p><p>-They did.</p><p>He almost barked a laugh-</p><p>.........................</p><p>The trees were suddenly behind him.</p><p>The remnants of the charred town in front...</p><p>‘Not so far away, is it?’</p><p>Only ten days left. . . . . . . . .</p><p>He <em>could’ve </em>said he regretted how things turned out, but...</p><p>‘If he does what he promised. . . . .’</p><p>He would be well on his way to having no regrets at all.</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>“-He’s gotta be up ahead!”</p><p>Mat was in the middle of the pack as they made their way hopefully out of the woods, but he wasn’t going to complain.</p><p>‘If it’s the best way to make sure I don’t <em>die-‘</em></p><p>Because the universe hated him.</p><p>They knew what they were trying to accomplish.</p><p>And they knew <em>how </em>to accomplish it.</p><p>They just. . .</p><p>‘Need to find that Wild Card-!!’</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Probably gonna be careful about this one.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Silent Tears</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Quest for the Life Stones begins.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Nothing?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Life Stones are three magical objects that allow the Carnival Master to stay alive for as long as they exist, unbroken to element or mankind.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>They take on the appearance of giant, violet crystals, not hard to find-</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Except they’re hidden.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Recovering them will <strong>not </strong>be easy, but have no fear. . .</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It is not as if you will be looking for them alone.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Now let us gather the last member of our party before it is too late.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>-Space.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>. . . . “I got something weird in this stump!” Safiya cried-</p>
<p>“Like what?”</p>
<p>Mat and Ro ran over-</p>
<p>A glowing rod.</p>
<p>“It’s a wand”, Calliope informed them.</p>
<p>Safiya pried it loose.</p>
<p>“Okay...”</p>
<p>She blew a strand of black hair out of her face.</p>
<p>“What’s next?”</p>
<p>She turned it over in her hands.</p>
<p>“It will only work if you borrow some of my power”, Space said.</p>
<p>“Yeah?”</p>
<p>She let him put his hand on her arm.</p>
<p>She felt a heavy coolness creep up the muscle.</p>
<p>“That feels weird-“</p>
<p>“Sorry...it’s the radioactivity being reigned in”, he explained.</p>
<p>The wand’s shaft flickered, and then gleamed.</p>
<p>Neon-green light glowed.</p>
<p>“I’m guessing that means it’s powered up?” she guessed.</p>
<p>“You’d be right”, he replied.</p>
<p><em>‘It’s up in that tree’, </em>Time announced, fluttering to their level.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘You gotta lower it’.</em>
</p>
<p>“Nice...just like Doctor Who...alright-“ Safiya prepped herself.</p>
<p>“Who is that?” Space wondered.</p>
<p>“He’s on BBC”, Mat answered.</p>
<p>Space’s face held zero recognition.</p>
<p>“When we get out of this, I’ll forward you a link”, he promised.</p>
<p>Ro was looking up at the tangle of branches in an anticipatory manner-</p>
<p>“I can. . .<em>kinda </em>see something purple?”</p>
<p>“That will be the crystal”, Calliope nodded.</p>
<p>“Ooh! It’s so pretty-“</p>
<p>The brunette’s eyes sparkled.</p>
<p>“-Swish-did that work?” Safiya asked, having flung down her arm.</p>
<p>. . . . . . . . .The crystal descended, a pure, violet flame.</p>
<p>She caught it in her arms.</p>
<p>“Oh-neat”.</p>
<p>The forest suddenly <em>raged </em>in a wind.</p>
<p>“That’s bad, isn’t it?” Safiya murmured, “Are we going to be descended upon by Demons now-“</p>
<p>“Not sure”, Space said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They’d been rushing along when they’d found a mark in a tree trunk:</p>
<p>A pair of horns.</p>
<p><em>‘Hey! It’s that Creep’s monogram!’ </em>Time had yelped-</p>
<p>And so, they had gone on an impromptu search, thereby bringing us to the present.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now, they were worrying as to what prompt security measures they had inadvertently set off with their theft.</p>
<p>
  <em>Please don’t be clowns.</em>
</p>
<p>Safiya anxiously scanned the waving branches around them.</p>
<p>
  <em>Seriously, <strong>please </strong>don’t be clowns.</em>
</p>
<p>“Look at that”, Ro squinted, “Is that...an Angel?”</p>
<p>Mat <em>paled.</em></p>
<p>“Nooooo Sir-!”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘What?’</em>
</p>
<p>Time wafted above the odd silhouette:</p>
<p>In orange firelight, a winged person with both hands clasped tightly over the face.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Huh. They’re crying’.</em>
</p>
<p>“Whatever you do, <em>do not </em>stop looking at them!” Mat yelled.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Why?’ </em>
</p>
<p>Time was oblivious-</p>
<p>Safiya shoved Space into a tree.</p>
<p>“OW-!”</p>
<p>He whirled, eyes flashing angrily.</p>
<p>“What was <em>that for-“</em></p>
<p>He stared in confusion.</p>
<p>“What. . .?”</p>
<p>A different Angel, face similarly covered, standing conveniently where he had been only seconds before.</p>
<p>“If they touch you, you’re teleported back into the past”, Mat motormouthed.</p>
<p>“Is there anything behind me!?” Safiya called.</p>
<p><em>‘Yeah-‘ </em>Time started-</p>
<p>She sprinted to Calliope’s side.</p>
<p>“MAT!” Ro cried.</p>
<p>“What-“</p>
<p>She tackled him <em>flat </em>to the ground.</p>
<p>“What is it, what-“ he panic-yelped-</p>
<p>“You almost got <em>got!!”</em></p>
<p>She was gaping at the snarling Angel, both arms outstretched where his shoulders had nearly been.</p>
<p>“Weeping Angels”, Safiya gasped, “Those...are actually good guards”.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thanks Ro. . .” Mat breathed.</p>
<p>“Anytime!” she chirped.</p>
<p>They both climbed to their feet.</p>
<p>Space narrowed his eyes.</p>
<p>The snarling angel was encased in green energy, and melted.</p>
<p>Space turned his head, and melted the one in Safiya’s spot.</p>
<p>Time floated higher and higher.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘We got-ten more-!’</em>
</p>
<p>Mat groaned.</p>
<p>“Come on!!”</p>
<p>A rustling behind Space.</p>
<p>He twisted around in time to be staring <em>straight </em>into a different snarl.</p>
<p>Those fingertips were <em>inches </em>from clipping his clothes-</p>
<p>“I can’t use my power to get rid of them all if I don’t know where they all are-“ he warned.</p>
<p>“I can”.</p>
<p>Calliope.</p>
<p>She’d raised her arms skyward.</p>
<p>“The effort would take an <em>incredible </em>amount of my energy, but it could be done”.</p>
<p>“Will it hurt you!?” Ro cried, concerned.</p>
<p>“It might”.</p>
<p>Calliope’s expression was grim.</p>
<p>“But it will save you”.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her old friends would always be her friends.</p>
<p>Her new friends were currently in danger.</p>
<p>The thought of the past repeating itself re-opened an old ache in her heart again and again and again.</p>
<p>
  <em>I won’t let it happen.</em>
</p>
<p>No more death.</p>
<p>“What if you die?” Safiya yelled.</p>
<p>“I hope I do not”, she said, “I hope I live to watch you escape from Everlock for good”.</p>
<p>Strange. . .</p>
<p>There was a lump in her throat.</p>
<p>“However, if I don’t-“</p>
<p>“Don’t say that!” Mat protested.</p>
<p>“We’re all going to get out of here!”</p>
<p><em>‘I could burn them from this high’, </em>Time interrupted, <em>‘I could make them all explode’.</em></p>
<p>“You can!?” Ro shouted, a smile breaking on her face.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Sure’.</em>
</p>
<p>The orange orb wafted in a circle, and she knew there must have been more of those demented Angels closing in.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘I’m strong enough, you know!’</em>
</p>
<p>Mat looked like he was about to collapse with relief.</p>
<p>“Thank you...”</p>
<p>
  <em>‘No problem’.</em>
</p>
<p>The orange orb zoomed into the night sky until they were a bright, amber blink.</p>
<p>“Good luck!!” Ro called after them.</p>
<p>“You can do it-“</p>
<p>Calliope lowered her arms.</p>
<p>
  <em>......I’m glad.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Time flared.</p>
<p>The silver, inhuman shadows easy to spot.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Eat that, jerks!!’</em>
</p>
<p>He was able to snipe them.</p>
<p>1,</p>
<p>2,</p>
<p>3...</p>
<p>So on...</p>
<p>And so on-</p>
<p>Deep inside his chest, he felt a nudge.</p>
<p>He could do <em>more </em>than that.</p>
<p>The use of his flames was becoming frequent.</p>
<p>Stoking something stronger on the inside.</p>
<p>He knew he could escape, if he gave in........</p>
<p>Mat from down below, waved both of his arms.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘ALL CLEAR’-</em>
</p>
<p>Somehow, he grinned.</p>
<p>
  <em>Awesome.</em>
</p>
<p>He kept up the flare.</p>
<p>Cranked up the heat, hotter. . . . .</p>
<p>
  <em>Hotter-</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Enjoy a new chapter!</p>
<p>Prompt: Weeping Angels</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Time Incoming</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Freedom comes at a hideous price.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Prompt: Herpetophobia- Fear of reptiles or creepy, crawly things.</p><p>Cw: Burning death, knives, implied stabbing. Brief restraint.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Hotter.</em>
</p><p>He could feel it.</p><p>The shell cracking. . . .!</p><p>
  <em>I’m almost out of here.</em>
</p><p>His arms and legs blazing free, a falling, orange comet in the night.</p><p> </p><p>Ro and the others ran in the direction they had seen the Arc fall.</p><p>
  <em>Are they okay-!?</em>
</p><p>Wolves howled at the disturbance.</p><p>
  <em>Oh no-</em>
</p><p>She could hear branches breaking, dirt flying.</p><p>
  <em>This isn’t good-!</em>
</p><p>They sprinted clear of the treeline.</p><p>-Everlock was on fire again...</p><p>Mat sighed.</p><p><em>Oops, </em>she thought.</p><p>A whole pack of furred, human-like creatures surrounded an aggressively-firing orange light, snarling.</p><p>Laughter was coming from far away-</p><p>“-Why does Time sound so excited?” Safiya asked.</p><p>“That’s how he is...” Space shook his head.</p><p>“-Are those wolves about to die?” Ro said next.</p><p>“Probably”, Space deferred.</p><p> </p><p>“Who are you, Human, invading our space!?” the Lead Wolf glowered.</p><p>“You think I’m <em>just </em>a human?”</p><p>Time grinned.</p><p>“I guard against idiots like yourself”.</p><p>The Lead Wolf snarled.</p><p>“How <em>dare </em>you!!”</p><p>Their wolves-in-arms gnashed their teeth.</p><p>“Hey, if you want to come at me, then do your worst!” Time snapped.</p><p>“I can’t guarantee you’ll win, though”.</p><p>The wolves unsheathed their claws-</p><p>“We will see won’t we?” the Lead Wolf countered.</p><p>And they all launched at once.</p><p> </p><p>Ro’s heart soared into her throat.</p><p>“Ummmm, is he gonna be okay!?”</p><p>“Yup”, Space said.</p><p>Mat rubbed the fog off his sunglasses.</p><p>“I can tell why you guys got sealed...seriously you would be <em>such </em>a nightmare for Story Worlds-“</p><p>Space scowled.</p><p>“Don’t go advocating for that like it’s a good thing”.</p><p>While they talked, Ro tried to squint into the mass of surging activity.</p><p>“I can’t find him-“</p><p>Calliope sparked her hands.</p><p>“I could use my power”.</p><p>Safiya eyed them warily.</p><p>“-Last resort sound great to you?”</p><p> </p><p>Time ignited his whole body.</p><p>The sweeping inferno he created incinerated every wolf on the spot.</p><p>
  <em>Sorry, not sorry!</em>
</p><p>He then swept every fiery ember back in. . . . . . . . . .</p><p>His heat cooled.</p><p>“Ahhhh...that felt refreshing”.</p><p>“-You still owe me for my phone!!” Mat yelled.</p><p>
  <em>Come on, really?</em>
</p><p>Still harping on that. . .</p><p>“It was being annoying!” he justified.</p><p>The others were tentatively walking to meet him halfway.</p><p>“How you like that?” he asked.</p><p>“Impressive”, Ro cheered.</p><p>“Thanks”.</p><p> </p><p>Wild, orange, hair, and a ragged, orange outfit.</p><p>Safiya couldn’t think of a more appropriate appearance for him.</p><p>“You kinda made us panic for a few seconds”, she chastised.</p><p>“Whoops. . .”</p><p>He rubbed the back of his head.</p><p>“Well...I’m safe now!”</p><p>Mat raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“Yeah, luckily for you”.</p><p>In contrast, Ro was beaming.</p><p>“Glad to finally properly meet you!”</p><p>“You too!”</p><p>They shared an enthusiastic handshake.</p><p>Space looped an arm around his shoulder.</p><p>“It’s been awhile”.</p><p>“You can say that again”.</p><p>“You’re not hurt, are you?”</p><p>-Prompt fluttering.</p><p>“Whoa, hey, I’m okay-!!”</p><p>Ro chuckled.</p><p>Safiya scanned the rest of the town center.</p><p>“Awesome. All we need now are the last two Life Stones”.</p><p>“Our gamble with the last one was right. . .” Ro considered.</p><p>The symbol on the tree.</p><p>“Then there might be more around here”, Mat concluded, “Space? Time? You wouldn’t have happened to caught a glimpse of them yourselves?”</p><p>“Before we were ensconced?” the former wondered, “No...”</p><p>“So it will be like searching for a needle in a haystack”, Calliope theorized.</p><p>“Aw, what?”</p><p>Time was less-than-thrilled.</p><p>“Don’t we deserve another break?”</p><p> </p><p>Unbeknownst to them, something was creeping in the dark.</p><p>Sneaking up behind a certain, doomed someone...</p><p>Like a worm, although far from a creature so innocent.</p><p>Mat felt a hand clamp over his mouth.</p><p>
  <em>Wha-!?</em>
</p><p>His stomach lurched.</p><p>
  <em>What’s going on-</em>
</p><p>He was swiftly hauled into the forest.</p><p>
  <em>Let go-!!</em>
</p><p>He fought.</p><p>
  <em>Why is being captured becoming a habit!??</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Inside the Church, Reality waited.</p><p>Glancing at his nails....</p><p>
  <em>Any minute, and they’ll arrive.</em>
</p><p>Hopefully.</p><p><em>That fire was unprecedented, but at least it served </em>some <em>purpose.</em></p><p>It provided the perfect distraction.</p><p>-He snapped his fingers.</p><p>The amber prison wavered, and then himself and the Carnival Master both disappeared.</p><p> </p><p>-Mat was thrown down on a rock, and tied to it with rope.</p><p>“Ow-!?”</p><p>He thought of unleashing the Elder Swear.</p><p>“Who the heck are you!?”</p><p>The invisible-ish creature reminded him of a transparent, lost shadow.</p><p>“I don’t appreciate being yanked like that-!”</p><p>“Relax, it’ll be quick”.</p><p>A second voice.</p><p>“-You betrayed them, so you’re gonna betray me, too!?”</p><p>His outrage was equaled only by awe at the <em>audacity!</em></p><p>“Reality-!!”</p><p>The transparent shadow re-merged with the blue figure.</p><p>“It’s nothing personal. . .I just need him to rise”.</p><p>He beckoned with each finger.</p><p>The amber crystal slotted firmly into the ground.</p><p>Reality conjured a knife from nowhere.</p><p>Mat was unwelcomely reminded of the blade that had briefly possessed Ro.</p><p>“You have to lose your Mark of Death.....”</p><p>-It didn’t take long for him to put the puzzle pieces together.</p><p>“What are you saying!? That I’m the other life in a zero-sum deal <em>to wake him up!?”</em></p><p>“You’re the one who said it, not me”, Reality quipped, “If it takes three stones to kill him, then it should take three lives to revive him, and Benjamin and that Doll Maker already fell...Of course, there’s no guarantee you’ll even stay dead considering how the Collector is gone...”</p><p>“It’ll still hurt!”</p><p>“Well...that’s not my problem”.</p><p>Reality hovered the knife at Mat’s chest.</p><p>“Goodbye-“</p><p> </p><p>. . . .Every night bird hiding in the trees erupted into the air, squawking and generally causing an uproar.</p><p>“What was that!?” Ro shouted-</p><p>“Something is wrong-“ Space blanched-</p><p>“Where’s Mat?” Time said.</p><p>-And at first, all Safiya could think was how ironic that sentence, from that person’s mouth, was.</p><p>Then it hit her.</p><p>“-Wait, where <em>is </em>Mat-“</p><p>Calliope’s eyes flashed, and she spun.</p><p>“MAT!??”</p><p>Her cry echoed back, unanswered.</p><p>“Something is <em>definitely</em> wrong-“ Space repeated-</p><p>A huge, amber beacon erupted in wake of the birds.</p><p>“No <em>way!!” </em>Time gaped.</p><p> </p><p>The <em>ache </em>was harsh.</p><p>Mat gasped-</p><p>Reality ripped the blade loose.</p><p>The prison erupted.</p><p>Eye sockets glimmered electric as a horned man rose.</p><p>“Nicholas. . . . .how do you feel?” Reality questioned in the manner of a triumphant Game-Show Host.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry Mat-</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Deep In The Forest</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Something wicked has already come.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Brief mention of body horror.</p><p>Prompt: Purgatory.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>-With a THUD, Mat hit the ground.</p><p>
  <em>Ouch. . .</em>
</p><p>He clutched at his chest, at the gawping hole-</p><p>
  <em>Ow. . .</em>
</p><p>He could’ve sued for Life Insurance.</p><p>Then he remembered he was dead.</p><p>
  <em>They don’t even know.</em>
</p><p>Fear spurred him onto his feet.</p><p>He had no idea where he was, just that there were the ghosts of palm trees along a cliff line, and a long, sprawling house.</p><p>Green clouds wafted in threatening storms in the sky.</p><p>
  <em>Where am I-</em>
</p><p>Words floated into his head:</p><p>
  <em>‘There’s no guarantee you’ll even stay dead now that the Collector is gone’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wait...</em>
</p><p>He ran a hand through his hair.</p><p>
  <em>Am I in some kind of Underworld?</em>
</p><p>He’d never heard that the Afterlife looked like this.</p><p>On wobbling legs, he started to trek toward the house.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>They’d <em>just </em>left the forest, and now they were zooming back in it.</p><p>Safiya weaved under tree branches....</p><p><em>That beacon has got to mean </em>something.</p><p>“Mat...please be okay-!” she heard Ro plead.</p><p>
  <em>Yeah...</em>
</p><p>She couldn’t believe they’d so easily lost him like that!</p><p>
  <em>I can’t stop kicking myself-</em>
</p><p>Space and Time were picking up the rear, with Calliope in the lead.</p><p>
  <em>Hang on-</em>
</p><p>They couldn’t give up on him yet.</p><p>But also, this reeked of Darkest Hour vibes.</p><p>She <em>wasn’t </em>looking forward to whatever they were about to find.</p><p> </p><p>They stumbled out into a clearing.</p><p>A shadowy miasma surrounded a flat rock, and stained rope.</p><p>Reality, and an ominous figure with horns.</p><p>Space paled.</p><p>“No-“</p><p>“You know them!?” Ro cried-</p><p>“Hello again”.</p><p>The horned person nodded in greeting.</p><p>“Where the heck is Mat!?” Time shouted.</p><p>“Sadly, he’s dead”, Reality informed them.</p><p>“It was such a shame, but it had to be done...”</p><p>“It’s good to be back”, the horned person added.</p><p>“Nicholas”.</p><p>Calliope’s eyes darkened.</p><p>“Ms. Angelos...it’s been some years, hasn’t it?”</p><p>The horned person smiled.</p><p>Ro’s eyes widened.</p><p>“Wait-are <em>you </em>the Carnival Master?”</p><p>“Indeed I am”, he confirmed.</p><p>The blue crystal at the center of his chest sparked, and glowed.</p><p>Something occurred to her.</p><p>“Calliope”, she whispered under her breath, “Is <em>that </em>a Life Stone?”</p><p>“It’s the source of his power. . .the other three just weaken him, but <em>that </em>one...it’ll kill him”.</p><p>“Something to share with the class?”</p><p>Reality zeroed in on the two women.</p><p>“Yeah! You’re goin’ down!!” Time snapped.</p><p>He flared his hands-</p><p>“I can always re-seal you”, Nicholas said calmly.</p><p>His own hands flared a poisonous purple.</p><p>“Not again!”</p><p>Space thrust out an arm, and rotted a tree in half.</p><p>The broken trunk came hurtling at the villainous duo’s heads-</p><p>Nicholas hurled it aside with a bolt of magical energy.</p><p>It thumped into the ground and shook the earth.</p><p>Everyone struggled to keep their balance-</p><p>“I think this is the part where we run!!” Ro realized.</p><p>“I think so too”, Calliope agreed.</p><p>“What!? We can’t do that!” Time yelped indignantly.</p><p>“If that’s the best you’ve got, your little resistance will be over quickly”, Nicholas critiqued.</p><p>The flares in his hands grew stronger.</p><p>Space grabbed Time’s hand.</p><p>“We might have to-“</p><p>A pure orb formed in Nicholas’s palms.</p><p>Time grimaced at the sight-</p><p>“Come on!” Ro cried, grabbing his other hand.</p><p>Safiya was already balancing on her heel, poised to sprint-</p><p>“It isn’t over yet”, Calliope promised, her own hands erupting into gold.</p><p>The orb exploded into a beam of concentrated power.</p><p>Hurtling in their direction-</p><p>“Let’s go, let’s go-!!” Safiya pushed everyone forward as they narrowly managed to escape into the trees.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>When he reached the Back Door, Mat knocked.</p><p>“Hello?”</p><p>No one answered his call. . .</p><p>
  <em>Plan B.?</em>
</p><p>He peeped in the windows.</p><p>No one was around.</p><p>
  <em>Well...that’s just great.</em>
</p><p>He walked around the side.</p><p>
  <em>Hello?</em>
</p><p>A veranda.</p><p>He supposed he could just...waltz right in, since the way was clear.</p><p>
  <em>Sorry in advance.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>The lounge would look normal except for the gigantic safe in the wall.</p><p>It was protected by a series of keyholes.</p><p>
  <em>Interesting security.</em>
</p><p>There was also a demonic-bat sort of clock on the wall.</p><p>
  <em>And interesting decorations-</em>
</p><p>But no people.</p><p>
  <em>Am I actually alone here?</em>
</p><p>He didn’t have a clue what was going on, honestly. . .</p><p>
  <em>. . .I miss Ro.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And Safiya.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And Calliope.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And Space-</em>
</p><p>He sighed...</p><p>
  <em>I guess I even miss that irritating flamy guy.</em>
</p><p>In a million years he did not ever think he would think exactly that.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>Calliope shoved them all into the first building they saw, and slammed the door.</p><p><em>‘Fatman Slim’s’, </em>the neon sign had said-</p><p>They all took a few seconds to catch their breaths.</p><p>“-He’s back”, Time panted, “We’re in trouble-“</p><p>“We have to find the other two stones! We have to save Mat. . .” Ro asserted.</p><p>Her expression spoke of tense determination.</p><p>A little fear, too.</p><p>“We can’t leave him stuck like that!”</p><p>“I agree”, Safiya concurred, “But we don’t have any leads on where they are”.</p><p>“You sure?”</p><p>Time pointed to a tiny carving of dual horns on the railing of a stairwell.</p><p> </p><p>Space has got to hand it to whomever made those marks.</p><p>
  <em>Those will keep our lives intact-</em>
</p><p>They ascended to a tight balcony.</p><p>A pile of wire sat on the floor, an unwelcome reminder of what they had seen in the woods.</p><p>A box sat at the center, and when Safiya and Ro heaved it open together, they found a black hood-</p><p>There was also a crudely-drawn diagram of a triangle.</p><p>Applied to the street below, the pieces were easy enough to put together.</p><p>“Why do we have to wear a hood?” Time genuinely wondered.</p><p>“I’ve seen something like that before”, Calliope spoke up, “It renders the wearer invisible for ten minutes”.</p><p>“Say what-“</p><p>“Will we have to take turns?” Ro asked.</p><p>“It’s looking like it. . .” Safiya said.</p><p>“...Who wants to put it on?”</p><p>Space pitched the question, praying that it wouldn’t be <em>him.</em></p><p>“I will do it”, Calliope volunteered, “It looks like. . .adjacent to that X, the first point is at the Merry-Go-Round”.</p><p>“I’m glad <em>you </em>can make heads-or-tails of it”, Time snarked.</p><p>“Because I can’t”.</p><p>(Space tried not to seem too relieved).</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Excellent. So it begins.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The good 'ol hood challenge.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Triangles And Zombies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The navigation journey for the second Life Stone kicks off.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Body horror, burning.</p>
<p>Prompt: Tana, Liza, and Lauren.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elsewhere...</p>
<p>Nicholas and Reality were exiting the forest.</p>
<p>"Well? I did as you promised", the latter had said.</p>
<p>"That you did", the former replied.</p>
<p>"So. . .about what I am owed?”</p>
<p>He had not lost so much just so he could lose what he had left.</p>
<p>“I <em>am </em>a man of my word.......”</p>
<p>Nicholas snapped his fingers.</p>
<p>Reality waited with bated breath-</p>
<p>He vanished in a burst of unholy sparks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Calliope could barely see a thing with the hood smushed over her eyes.</p>
<p>The others had managed to guide her to the door, but the rest was now up to her.</p>
<p>
  <em>I won’t let you down.</em>
</p>
<p>She had roughly nine minutes.</p>
<p>
  <em>I can do this.</em>
</p>
<p>Relying on her mind’s eye, she pictured the overhead view from the balcony.</p>
<p>She was...in front of Fatman Slim’s.</p>
<p>So. . . . .</p>
<p>Should she move-to her left-</p>
<p>
  <em>The Merry-Go-Round. . .is diagonal-</em>
</p>
<p>She could hear lightning energy crackling.</p>
<p>Somewhere close by.</p>
<p>
  <em>They’ve exited the forest.</em>
</p>
<p>She had to hurry.</p>
<p>“-Can you hear us? Calliope?”</p>
<p>Safiya’s voice.</p>
<p>“We can direct you if you go in the wrong direction, okay?”</p>
<p>“Yeah! We’ll do our best!” she heard Ro shout.</p>
<p>“Thank you, children-“</p>
<p>That would be a <em>huge </em>lifesaver.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Space leaned over the balcony’s railing.</p>
<p>“So far so good. . .”</p>
<p>Time was peeking at the forest.</p>
<p>“Uhhhh, the horned freak is all by himself-“</p>
<p>“Where’s Reality?” Ro asked.</p>
<p>“Don’t know”, Space said.</p>
<p>“-Other right!” Safiya hollered.</p>
<p>Space grimaced.</p>
<p>“We should have a backup plan in case Nicholas interrupts us. Once that rope is destroyed...” he warned...</p>
<p>“I could set him on fire”, Time suggested.</p>
<p>“You’re so fire-happy”, Safiya observed.</p>
<p>“What? I’m a Fire Guy”.</p>
<p>“You <em>did </em>defeat those werewolves...” Ro acquiesced.</p>
<p>“Unless you hit him in the crystal, that might not be enough”, Space corrected.</p>
<p>He slammed a fist on the iron.</p>
<p>“I was so <em>stupid </em>before-!”</p>
<p>“You panicked. It happens”, Time shrugged, “We escaped”.</p>
<p>“What day are we on?” Ro wondered.</p>
<p>“Who had the last count again?” Safiya aimed over her shoulder.</p>
<p>“Calliope, watch the hydrant!”</p>
<p>While she yelled about that, Space joined Time in looking at the advancing figure.</p>
<p>“What’s he doing?”</p>
<p>“Some graveyard silt”, Time shrugged.</p>
<p>“Graveyard?” Ro echoed.</p>
<p>She came over too.</p>
<p>“That better not mean zombies”, Safiya commented.</p>
<p>Blue light was wafting over a series of graves. . . . . . . . .</p>
<p>The ground rumbled, and they all wobbled.</p>
<p>“It’s zombies, isn’t it”, Safiya deadpanned.</p>
<p>Space watched the first few angry hands emerge from the dirt.</p>
<p>“....He must have guessed what we were up to”.</p>
<p>“You <em>have </em>been carting that giant amethyst around for a while”, Time pointed out.</p>
<p>
  <em>Oh. Right.</em>
</p>
<p>Space flushed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Calliope heard the faintest strains of unearthly moaning in her ears.</p>
<p>
  <em>Did they get hurt?</em>
</p>
<p>That was her first thought-</p>
<p>“Are you okay?” she pitched up to them.</p>
<p>She wasn’t entirely sure they would hear-</p>
<p>“ZOMBIES!!” Ro screamed.</p>
<p>“Seriously?”</p>
<p>“GET HER!!” she caught Nicholas roaring.</p>
<p>“HA! NO WAY!”</p>
<p>That was Time.</p>
<p>-She had the hunch those zombies were about to be deep-fried zombies.</p>
<p>The char, the stink, the groans-</p>
<p>
  <em>Hell on earth.</em>
</p>
<p>Or in Everlock.</p>
<p>Either way-</p>
<p>Her fumbling hand bumped into a horse’s head.</p>
<p>
  <em>Yes!</em>
</p>
<p>She ran the rope through her palms, and began to tie the knot.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Calliope got our angle”, Safiya announced, “We just need two more”.</p>
<p>“I’ll do it!” Ro volunteered.</p>
<p>“It’s my turn to help <em>you </em>for a change!”</p>
<p>She clomped down the stairs twice-at-a-time.</p>
<p><em>Good luck, Ro, </em>Safiya wished.</p>
<p>The next location was a pole diagonally from the abandoned ride.</p>
<p>
  <em>It’s not too far-</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Calliope slipped off the hood.</p>
<p>
  <em>Phew.</em>
</p>
<p>She blinked the grain out of her eyes.</p>
<p>
  <em>One down-</em>
</p>
<p>Three points to create.</p>
<p>The zombies overtook her in seconds.</p>
<p>Unkempt hair, ratty clothes, the <em>stench </em>was hideous.</p>
<p>Even inflamed, they were <em>still moving-</em></p>
<p>“CALLIOPE!!”</p>
<p>Ro was waving, yellow hat a spotlight amidst the gnashing, chomping crowd she was rapidly being closed into.</p>
<p>“OVER HERE!!”</p>
<p>The zombies looked.</p>
<p>She ducked beneath their rickety legs, and sprinted to an empty Arcade.</p>
<p>The rope trailing along behind her.</p>
<p>“THE POLE!!” Safiya screamed, “THAT’S THE POLE-“</p>
<p>Calliope’s fingers feverishly worked to tie the knot around it. . .but it wouldn’t tie.</p>
<p><em>I don’t have the hood on- </em>she realized...</p>
<p>She slapped it over her face.</p>
<p>The knot stayed.</p>
<p>
  <em>Thank God-</em>
</p>
<p>“CALLIOPE!!” Ro called again-</p>
<p>“WATCH OUT!” she yelled back.</p>
<p>She tried to remember the diagram-</p>
<p>“IT’S BY THE ARCADE! KEEP GOING!” Time bellowed.</p>
<p>She did so.</p>
<p>Hot breath, and raging growls snapped at her heels.</p>
<p>
  <em>I can’t die here-</em>
</p>
<p>They needed her.</p>
<p>They needed her to <em>get this done.</em></p>
<p>-She smacked straight into a hard surface, and went crashing to the ground.</p>
<p>“Calliope!”</p>
<p>Arms were pulling her up-</p>
<p>“Ro?”</p>
<p>“You can tie it-You can tie it!”</p>
<p>She struggled to tie it.</p>
<p>“What now?”</p>
<p>“The Merry-Go-Round?” Ro guessed.</p>
<p>A frenzied dash into the horde between them and their destination.</p>
<p>The odds of getting past <em>that </em>unscathed?</p>
<p>Not great.</p>
<p>“We need help!!” Ro cried, “Diversion-“</p>
<p>Space hurled a radioactive meteor into the middle of the square, and the earth <em>caved.</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Once, Tana, Liza, and Lauren had gotten together for a collab.</p>
<p>A ghost hunt in an abandoned hotel.</p>
<p>-They’d gotten cornered by security, and promptly chased outside, but the views had racked up into the billions.</p>
<p>.........Wandering alone inside the big, empty house, reminded him of it.</p>
<p>
  <em>No security to be found.</em>
</p>
<p>...He scratched his head.</p>
<p>
  <em>Admittedly, it isn’t going well.</em>
</p>
<p>He was numb.</p>
<p>He should have been traumatized out-of-his-mind, but he was only numb.</p>
<p>Maybe shock was settling in.</p>
<p>Maybe it was the constant, undisturbed quiet.</p>
<p>Maybe he was overthinking things.</p>
<p>There were a lot of random dinosaur fossils around here. . .</p>
<p>An entire coffin in an Egyptian-themed room.</p>
<p>A whole area set up as an Imperial Kingdom-</p>
<p>
  <em>It’s like a Museum.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-A strange snapping arrested his attention.</p>
<p>
  <em>What the-?</em>
</p>
<p>He wandered into a dining-reception deal with a view of a rock, and dangling chains.</p>
<p>
  <em>Electricity failure?</em>
</p>
<p>Couldn’t be.</p>
<p>The lights were still on...</p>
<p>He peeped into the yard.</p>
<p>A familiar, blue-haired murderer shook off the electric dust.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The zombies are coming.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Whose Allegiance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A mystery is solved.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Mentions of restraint/impalement. Burning?</p><p>Prompt: Teletubbies Theme</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Their eyes connected.</p><p>The air stopped circulating.</p><p>Mat felt an absurd amount of rage fill his bones-</p><p>
  <em>“You-!!”</em>
</p><p>Reality gave an innocent wave.</p><p>“Pleasant to see you too”.</p><p>Mat glared.</p><p>The <em>nerve-!</em></p><p>“You kidnapped me! And then you tied me down, and <em>stabbed </em>me!!”</p><p>“It was for a good cause”, he brushed off.</p><p>“Yeah, right! The Carnival Master’s back, and now all of my friends are going to <em>die!”</em></p><p>“They <em>could </em>kill him first”, Reality pointed out.</p><p>He leisurely started to stroll toward him-</p><p>“Um. You’re both on the same <em>side”, </em>Mat reminded him.</p><p>“Well yes. Technically”.</p><p>Reality briefly checked his nails.</p><p>“You could say that...”</p><p>“Care to explain yourself?” Mat asked.</p><p><em>I don’t have time for technicalities! </em>he mentally yelled in his head.</p><p>He had to get back-somehow-!</p><p>“Where is this?”</p><p>Reality stepped through the doorway.</p><p>“Purgatory”.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>Ro considered it super-lucky she was able to grab onto that pole before the world caved in!</p><p>“You okay, Calliope?” she called to the woman next to her.</p><p>“I’m fine, don’t worry”, she reassured.</p><p>The zombies groaned and screamed as they rolled into a pit.</p><p>She saw Calliope lunge with her arm to keep hanging onto the rope-</p><p>“One left, right?” Ro checked.</p><p>“One left”.</p><p>She had to keep purchase with the heels of her platform oxfords.</p><p>“If you give me the hood, you can guide me to the Merry-Go-Round”, Ro said.</p><p>“Let’s get that Life Crystal”.</p><p>Calliope handed it over.</p><p>As soon as it had been slipped onto her head, she made a face no one could see.</p><p>“It’s very musty!” was her opinion.</p><p>“I know”, Calliope agreed.</p><p>Ro felt a hand at her back.</p><p>“It’s this way-“</p><p> </p><p>“They’re safe”, Safiya reported.</p><p>Space nodded.</p><p>“Those undead bodies are done for-which means we just have to worry about Nicholas, now”.</p><p>Time grinned.</p><p>“I think <em>someone’s </em>not happy!”</p><p>From where they were, they could see a frowning expression, and ‘are-you-kidding-me’ eyes.</p><p>“Very professional”, Space commented.</p><p>“How powerful is he?” Safiya asked.</p><p>She wanted a gauge-</p><p>“He could overpower <em>us”, </em>Space replied, “Does that answer your question?”</p><p>“But Calliope was able to defeat him”, she said.</p><p>“He <em>has </em>had plenty of years to concoct his revenge”, Time relented.</p><p>“And the introduction of the crystals makes it even harder to kill him...unless you want her to reseal him again?” Space questioned.</p><p>Safiya tapped her fingers on the railing.</p><p>Although the Arcade had been tilted forward in a scary angle, Ro and Calliope were rushing determinedly rushing along the veranda.</p><p>Zombie hands flailed as they slowly dissolved in the gigantic hole.</p><p>“. . .I mean, what would I sound like if I told you I wanted him dead?”</p><p>“Legit no one would blame you”, Time answered automatically, and she couldn’t help but snicker.</p><p> </p><p>-It took her three tries, but Ro could feel herself grinning from ear-to-ear when the knot <em>finally </em>held.</p><p>“Yes!!”</p><p>“Well done”, Calliope complimented.</p><p>“We did it-!”</p><p>“-You have to stand in the center!!” Safiya’s voice called, “The CENTER-“</p><p>Ro whipped off the hood.</p><p>“The center?”</p><p>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p>The center currently full of <em>zombies.</em></p><p>“...Admittedly we may have a problem”, Safiya amended.</p><p><br/>
*</p><p> </p><p>“Purgatory?” Mat repeated.</p><p>He couldn’t believe it.</p><p>“I’m fully-dead...not, ‘nearly’...”</p><p>“I guess you don’t know”, Reality smiled thinly.</p><p>“This is where you go when you die”.</p><p>Mat swallowed...</p><p>“Okay, but. . .what’s with the house?”</p><p>“It’s not a house, it’s a Museum”, Reality corrected.</p><p>“It’s run by a Collector-“</p><p>“Wait”.</p><p>He remembered his earlier thought-</p><p><em>“The Collector </em>is in charge of death!?”</p><p>“Yes”.</p><p>Reality stepped into the next exhibit.</p><p>“Hey-Hey hold on-!!”</p><p>Mat ran after him.</p><p>“Why are you visiting, then? You’re alive-“</p><p>“That’s right. I am”.</p><p>Reality kept walking, forcing him to follow.</p><p>“But I know someone in this building who isn’t”.</p><p>“Shouldn’t you be off conspiring with the Carnival Master?” Mat accused.</p><p>“It was a temporary alliance”.</p><p>Reality passed the Imperial Kingdom room.</p><p>“He gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse”.</p><p>“Surrounding <em>what?”</em></p><p>Mat was still unimpressed-</p><p>They passed the Egyptian exhibit.</p><p>“You mean ‘who’”.</p><p>Reality ignored the dinosaur skeletons.</p><p>He marched into the lounge like someone who knew <em>exactly </em>what they were doing.</p><p>“If you were on his side, why did he seal you up?”</p><p>Mat raced to catch up-</p><p>“He didn’t do that-I did”.</p><p>“Wha-!?”</p><p><em>That </em>was not the response he had been expecting.</p><p>“Why-“</p><p>“Needed to preserve the illusion I was just as innocent as the others. . .except you found them first. Figures. . .”</p><p>Reality shrugged.</p><p>“That’s how it goes sometimes.......”</p><p>He warped a hole in a wall.</p><p>A faint, purplish-blue glow emanated from the alcove he had just brute-forced his way into.</p><p>“After you”, he offered calmly.</p><p>Mat narrowed his eyes.</p><p>“. . .Or not”, Reality said, “That’s okay too....”</p><p>Mat craned his neck.</p><p>A huge jar swirling with greenish smoke, caricatures of faces that uncannily reminded him of the Sun-Baby from that old cartoon.</p><p>
  <em>Yeesh.</em>
</p><p>A gnarled tree glittered with magic lights in the center, and some magic books were scattered around.</p><p>
  <em>What is this place?</em>
</p><p>He cautiously entered...</p><p>“How did you get in?”</p><p>Even if the guy wasn’t dead, he still had to escape.</p><p>“Teleport”.</p><p>Reality nonchalantly replied.</p><p>“. . .So you could teleport me out if you were feeling so inclined?”</p><p>“I told you it wasn’t personal”, was the vague response.</p><p>“Sorry, I’m just having trouble deciding whether or not you’re planning on hurting me when whatever you’re. . .”</p><p>He gestured to the object Reality was blocking-</p><p>“Working with over there is...dealt with-“</p><p>“Would you like to take a look?”</p><p>Reality moved aside.</p><p>Mat’s breath whooshed from his lungs.</p><p>
  <em>Oh my gosh.</em>
</p><p>It was a person.</p><p>Locked in a glass case.</p><p>Eyes open, but unmoving, in a long, lavender dress.</p><p>“You weren’t kidding-“</p><p>“Why would I kid?”</p><p>Reality’s usual enigmatic smile faded.</p><p>“I loved her, you know...but she grew sick, and died. It’s my curse to live forever-unless I’m killed.<br/>
Though even that is unlikely.</p><p>It’s only millenniums later that I can finally save her life”.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Getting close to the end, here.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Second Life</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Reality frees a prisoner, and the gang has misadventures with a crater.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Prompt: Beds.</p><p>Cw: Fantasy zombie violence.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“. . .He<em> let</em> you do this?”</p><p>Mat’s voice was hushed.</p><p>It excused <em>none </em>of what he’d done.</p><p>None of it.</p><p>Yet-</p><p>
  <em>That’s surprisingly...<b>nice </b>of him-!?</em>
</p><p>“He was a man once”, Reality said, “And Nicholas had a daughter once, or so he told me.</p><p>The chances of him knowing the same pain as I, well. . . . .</p><p>There must be <em>some </em>reason he never mentions where she came from”.</p><p>. . . .Mat reluctantly nodded his head.</p><p>“Okay....but was it really worth betraying everyone for?”</p><p>“You’ve never lost anyone in your life, have you?”</p><p>“You’re wrong”, Mat stated firmly.</p><p>. . .</p><p>They held their even staring contest until Reality turned back to the case.</p><p>“As soon as I crack this prison open, such concerns will be moot”.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>So there they were.</p><p>Stuck.</p><p>Staring at a writhing puddle of zombies. . . . . . . . .</p><p>
  <em>I didn’t mean for that...</em>
</p><p>Space sighed.</p><p>“Right. . .anyone have any plans?”</p><p>“I could explode them!” Time said immediately.</p><p>“Explode?”</p><p>Safiya looked away from the action, concerned-</p><p>“It won’t hurt anyone-“</p><p>“Um, okay, but-more explanation, please?” she insisted.</p><p>“I could create a molten geyser-“</p><p>“What about the Life Crystal?” she reminded.</p><p>“. . . . . . .Huh”.</p><p>While Time puzzled over that, Space fixated on Calliope and Ro.</p><p>They were edging into the shattered square, not getting close enough to get hurt, but not backing down, either.</p><p>Nicholas was steadily approaching, hands crackling.</p><p>His annoyed expression had flipped into one of acceptance.</p><p>Unfortunately, he could understand why:</p><p>It looked like they’d managed to engineer themselves into a corner of their own making.</p><p>“...I could bounce them out”, he said slowly.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>Safiya gave him a strange look.</p><p>“I got them into this mess, I could re-direct them elsewhere”.</p><p>“Okay...?”</p><p>“We’re kinda running out of time-“ the aptly-named firebug warned.</p><p>“Worry no further”.</p><p>Space stretched his arms over the railing.</p><p>He concentrated.</p><p>The radioactivity that had concaved them down, slowly buoyed them up on a bed of the most poisonous energy ever.</p><p>A chest was buoyed up on another.</p><p>He sent the zombies flying at Nicholas, and aimed the chest at the Merry-Go-Round.</p><p>It hit the lip of the ride, and steadily slid back into the hole-</p><p>
  <em>-Can’t be helped.</em>
</p><p>He would internally curse himself later.</p><p>For now, it was good enough to know that it was infused with his power, and so could be gotten into should the two women follow it.</p><p> </p><p>-Ro screamed as the massive square box nearly bashed in her head!!</p><p>“Are you okay?” she heard Calliope yell-</p><p>“I’m good. . . .”</p><p>She peeked into the giant crater.</p><p>Glowing, green light.....</p><p>“SPACE! IS IT SAFE!?” she hollered.</p><p>“...NOW THAT I’M THINKING ABOUT IT-“ was the reply-</p><p>“Oh dear”, Calliope spoke aloud.</p><p>“Oof”, Ro agreed.</p><p> </p><p>“-You want me to do what?” Safiya asked.</p><p>“Climb into the crater and touch the chest”, Space repeated.</p><p>“I can suddenly withstand radiation?”</p><p>“You handled that wand-which was also radiating”.</p><p>“. . . .Right....”</p><p>She slowly backed to the stairwell. . . . . .</p><p>“I’m going for it-“</p><p>“Good luck”, Time blessed.</p><p>“Thanks”, she said grimly.</p><p>She climbed down to the street, she nearly <em>choked </em>on the smoke, ether, and charred scent.</p><p>
  <em>There goes the stomach-</em>
</p><p>She bent an arm over around the offended organ, and ran to the jagged lip of the crater.</p><p>She couldn’t worry about what was going on behind her-</p><p>She skidded on the smooth, yet rough surface.</p><p>It was like surfing, minus the water.</p><p>Minus the guarantee that <em>if </em>you fell, you would not immediately <b><em>die.</em></b></p><p>She tripped.</p><p>She rolled.</p><p>She scabbed her hands and ripped the pants at her knees.</p><p>
  <em>That’s gonna sting-</em>
</p><p>She scrambled to her feet, haphazardly.</p><p>
  <em>Come on-</em>
</p><p>Just a little farther.</p><p>She slipped at first, ankles bruised, but gradually recovered her stride.</p><p>
  <em>I’ll make it-</em>
</p><p>She splayed her hands over the chest’s broken surface.</p><p>The impact had <em>not </em>been kind.</p><p> </p><p>-A brief flare.</p><p>Space and Time waited-</p><p>“IT’S OPEN-“ Safiya shouted.</p><p>A violet glow refracted into the air, as if to doubly corroborate her statement.</p><p>. . .They both relaxed.</p><p>For .2 seconds-</p><p>The zombies screamed as blue, electrical energy shoved them aside.</p><p>Nicholas was emerging from the undead pile he’d been buried in.</p><p>“Aaaaand we gotta go”, Time aptly stated.</p><p>“Indeed”.</p><p>They both turned to the stairs.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>Reality ran his hand up and down the glass.</p><p>It warped, and it caved, and it hollowed in a neat, rippling oval.</p><p>An opening one could easily reach through...</p><p>
  <em>Whoa.</em>
</p><p>Once again, Mat was impressed at the <em>power </em>those three had!</p><p>That didn’t mean he was about to let his guard down.</p><p>
  <em>Never trust a traitor-</em>
</p><p>Reality braced one foot upon the pedestal.</p><p>‘CHANTAL’, read the decorative plaque at the unconscious figure’s feet.</p><p>He wrapped his arms around their waist, and slowly drew them into the world of the. . .semi-living.</p><p>Mat was shocked.</p><p>The <em>tenderness </em>in his grasp said a lot.</p><p>
  <em>. . .Why can’t I hate you properly-</em>
</p><p>Reality carefully dismounted.</p><p>“Hey...”</p><p>He lightly patted their cheek.</p><p>“Chantal-“</p><p>Unfocused eyes...stirred.</p><p>Mat realized he was holding his breath.</p><p>“. . .Darling?”</p><p>It was the sort of voice that was quiet enough to grab your attention immediately.</p><p>“...Where. . .what-?”</p><p>They started to squirm, confused-</p><p>“It’s okay...you’re alive again”, Reality soothed.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>They locked eyes.</p><p>
  <em>Never more have I felt like a Third Wheel......</em>
</p><p>Mat shuffled awkwardly in place.</p><p>“. . .Who is that?” Chantal asked.</p><p>“Just a wayward soul”.</p><p>Reality shrugged.</p><p>Mat suppressed the urge to <em>bitterly </em>retort.</p><p><em>Wayward soul. Uh-huh, </em>suuuuuuuure-</p><p>He watched him twist his wrist.</p><p>-Out of nowhere, a portal swished to life.</p><p>In it, he could make out a vaguely-familiar boulevard-</p><p>“Wait. . .you were serious!?”</p><p>“I don’t plan on coming back to Everlock for a <em>long </em>time”, Reality said.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>“HEY GUYS, I’M <em>BAAACK-“</em></p><p>Mat promptly dodged a flying zombie limb.</p><p>“Woah-!!”</p><p>
  <em>“MAAAATTTT!!!!”</em>
</p><p>-A green blur <em>zoomed </em>across the ex-carnival road to tackle-hug him!!</p><p>Calliope was close behind.</p><p>“Hey! Good to see you!!”</p><p>Safiya was currently hauling herself and an impressive-looking crystal from the largest pit he had ever seen ever.</p><p>“You missed a lot-“</p><p>“You can say that again!” Time ran up, followed by Space.</p><p>“Are you alright?” the latter asked him.</p><p>“Yeah. . .I’m great. No more target on me or anything”.</p><p>“What happened?” Ro asked, “Where’s Reality-“</p><p>“I’ll tell you everything once we deal with that horned nightmare once and for all”, he promised.</p><p>“Speaking of, where is he?”</p><p>“Right there-“ Safiya pointed.</p><p>Everyone swiveled their heads in the direction she was indicating, and got ready.</p><p>Zombies strewn, unmoving around him, the man who had made their visit (and their lives) suffer, stood confrontationally in their way, practically engulfed in roiling, zapping <em>death.</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yaaaay, reuniting!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Confrontation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Face-Off is about to go down.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Fantasy violence. Mentions of bullying, self-dep. Zombie parts.</p><p>Prompt: Safiya Nygaard.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You insolent fools!”</p><p>Nicholas snarled-</p><p>“You can’t defeat me-you don’t have the last Life Crystal!”</p><p>“He’s right. . .” Calliope admitted.</p><p>“But at least we can destroy these”, Safiya quipped.</p><p>She threw the violet flame at her feet as hard as she could-!!</p><p>SMASH!!</p><p>Nicholas <em>screamed </em>as blue energy attacked the large, shiny stone on his chest.</p><p>“How <em>dare </em>you-“</p><p>He was promptly beaned in the face by the crystal Space had been holding onto.</p><p>“My hands slipped”, he excused sarcastically.</p><p>While the Carnival Master lowered his head in pain, the purple beacon fell to the ground and <em>shattered.</em></p><p>-Another electric attack.</p><p>Another crack in the large rock.</p><p>“Nice”, Time grinned-</p><p>A blaze of darkening lightning slammed him into the remains of game tents!</p><p>“Time!” Space shouted.</p><p>“. . .I’m good. . .” came the faint moan.</p><p>It was Space’s turn next.</p><p>“-!”</p><p>-He barely dodged.</p><p>Mat and Ro stumbled into the gutter, trying <em>not </em>to be laser-sliced in half like cheese-</p><p>Safiya was stuck in the middle of the thoroughfare with literally nowhere to go.</p><p>
  <em>Oh crap-!</em>
</p><p>Even though he was wounded, and blue blood was dribbling from his mouth, Nicholas grinned.</p><p>She decided she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her eyes closed.</p><p>He pressed his hands together.</p><p>The stream of barreling blue death came closer until she could feel its heat.</p><p>
  <em>If I have one regret, it’s that I didn’t get to see my cat one last day-</em>
</p><p>A golden shield flared up inches in front of her face.</p><p>BAM-!</p><p>“Calliope-!?”</p><p>“Child-run-“</p><p>The woman had leaped, palms sweating, magic straining to hold off the otherwise-deadly flow.</p><p>“Run now!!”</p><p>Safiya did so.</p><p>“Over here!” Ro cried-</p><p>Her feet pounded the packed earth until she was crashing gratefully into two pairs of arms.</p><p>Her OG traveling companions through thick and thin-</p><p>There was an <em>epic, </em>earth-rattling explosion behind her.</p><p>“CALLIOPE-!???” they all screamed.</p><p>“Hey! You alive!?”</p><p>Time popped from a pile of fallen banners.</p><p>Likewise, Space turned back from a couple zombie corpses-</p><p>The woman...slowly...peeled herself...from the ground-</p><p>“I’m. . .I’m alright”, she breathed.</p><p>She was covered in dust, and her lips were bloodied.</p><p>Her limbs were shivering-</p><p>“You should have died when your friends did!” Nicholas taunted.</p><p>“. . .You were my...friend once, too”, she said.</p><p>“You never could have understood. It’s regrettable it had to be this way, but-“</p><p>“I <em>can</em> understand. The citizens here called me trash. If I were...alone, I <em>would </em>have felt like I didn’t matter”.</p><p>-He didn’t speak for a couple minutes.</p><p>Safiya wondered if that meant the whole town was so unsubtle even their own worst enemy was on her side.</p><p>
  <em>Or maybe my extrapolating is exaggerated.</em>
</p><p>-Whatever it was, he tilted his head, as if listening to something.</p><p>Or someone.</p><p>“Yes. . .Yes, I <em>know-“</em></p><p>He huffed.</p><p>“Sorry-I don’t have time to deal with you.</p><p><em>Or </em>your annoying allies”.</p><p>“Hey-I’m right here!” Time yelled.</p><p>“I have a world to take over-“</p><p>“In whose name?” Calliope rebuffed, “Yours, or his?”</p><p>“. . .Mine-“</p><p>He yelled as a burst of radioactive waves scorched up his back.</p><p>“You little-!!”</p><p>“Over here!”</p><p>Space spun on his heel, and the dirt pitted with green light.</p><p>“What are you waiting for!? Come and <em>get </em>me-!!”</p><p>“I’m not <em>that </em>dumb!” Nicholas protested.</p><p>He sent blue streaks of electric destruction after him anyway-</p><p>“Now-“</p><p>When he returned his direction to his old acquaintance, he found that she had disappeared.</p><p>“Are you kidding me!?”</p><p> </p><p>Safiya’s heartbeat was an 808.</p><p>The Carnival Master was stomping around angrily for them-</p><p>“You’re all too old to be playing hide-and-seek!!” he growled.</p><p>He snarled in pain again.</p><p>“Will you <em>stop that-!?”</em></p><p>Space had taken another shot.</p><p>“I told you to <em>come get me!!”</em></p><p>“I’ll seal you in cement!!” Nicholas promised angrily-</p><p>He raced off in the direction of the demanding voice.</p><p>. . . .Safiya felt her shoulders relax.</p><p>Calliope was safely huddled in their arms:</p><p>Hers, Mat’s Ro’s, and Time’s.</p><p>They’d had to <em>dash </em>to sneak her out from under his nose-</p><p>“Thank you. . .thank you...” the woman murmured.</p><p>“It’s no problem”, Mat said.</p><p>“Yeah! You’re <em>our </em>friend!” Ro asserted.</p><p>“’Ain’t <em>no one </em>gonna hurt you now”, Time added for emphasis.</p><p>“Are you okay?”</p><p>Safiya looked over her wounds, the scrapes, the scratches.</p><p>“I will live”.</p><p>Calliope brushed off her concern.</p><p>“We should focus on the last Life Stone”.</p><p>“Speaking of. . .” Time slowly drawled, “I think Space found it. That’s why he’s acting <em>waaay </em>like a daredevil at the moment-“</p><p>“I saw him among the zombies-“ Mat contributed.</p><p>“Where among the zombies?”</p><p>Safiya was taking stock of the new information, the gears already turning in her mind-</p><p>“Right there”.</p><p>Mat pointed.</p><p> </p><p>They took a painstakingly <em>long </em>while to shuffle over to the pile of parts.</p><p>They were each battered, physically.</p><p>Some worse than others-</p><p>Time was limping.</p><p>Calliope stumbled.</p><p>Mat hung on to Ro, and Ro hung on to him.</p><p>Which was understandable.</p><p>-After ages of the BFF’s being constantly torn apart, of course they would be done with that.</p><p>As for her. . . .</p><p><em>My hands hate me. . .my </em>hands, hate <em>me. . .</em></p><p>Her hands hated her even worse when they started to sift through burnt arms and legs.</p><p>
  <em>Zombieland doesn’t even come close.</em>
</p><p>-Also, the smell was heinous.</p><p>She was going to have to spray her entire being with a high-pressure hose if she ever returned home alive.</p><p>Mat gagged-</p><p>“Worst carnival ever!”</p><p>“You said it!” Ro seconded-</p><p>“When was it ever a Carnival?” Time coughed.</p><p>“We’re looking for two horns-“ Calliope reminded.</p><p>“Like these?”</p><p>Ro hefted up a zombie in a torn, white dress.</p><p>On the limp neck, was that exact symbol.</p><p>“Caroline!” Calliope gasped.</p><p>“Who?” Mat repeated.</p><p>“I knew her while she was alive...her grave is down there”.</p><p>She pointed to a conveniently-placed haphazard arrangement of displaced stones.</p><p>Time groaned.</p><p>“You mean...you’re telling me we’ve got to <em>hike </em>again!?”</p><p> </p><p>-Yes.</p><p>Indeed.</p><p>They were forced to hike, again.</p><p>
  <em>My calves will be in the best shape of their lives.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We're almost done.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. The Last Crystal</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's now up to all of them.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Fantasy violence.</p>
<p>Prompt: Flicker (Roblox Game).</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Blue lightning whizzed along Space’s arm, and he clenched his teeth.</p>
<p>
  <em>Ouch-</em>
</p>
<p>“Give it up”, Nicholas called.</p>
<p>He sounded exasperated.</p>
<p>Space was gratified.</p>
<p>“You can’t keep melting your way out of trouble, forever-!”</p>
<p>
  <em>Watch me.</em>
</p>
<p>He ducked around the Ferris wheel.</p>
<p>The spokes electrified, turning on every single neon light.</p>
<p>A stray spark zapped into his leg, and he fell.</p>
<p>
  <em>Ow-</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Come on-!</em>
</p>
<p>He gingerly drew himself to one knee.</p>
<p>“I can see you”, Nicholas said menacingly.</p>
<p>
  <em>I can see you too.</em>
</p>
<p>Advancing on him, the blue-eyed, crackling monster.</p>
<p>He tried to stand.</p>
<p>His leg muscle was numb.</p>
<p>
  <em>Hey-</em>
</p>
<p>This couldn’t be happening right now.</p>
<p>He’d been at it for twenty minutes-</p>
<p>
  <em>No way.</em>
</p>
<p>Nicholas’s hands cracked with power.</p>
<p>Nearer-</p>
<p>
  <em>I can’t fall-!</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>The ground in front of Caroline’s grave was so unstable, when they approached, Safiya almost sank to her knees.</p>
<p>“Woah-okay-!”</p>
<p>“We’ve got you!” Ro yelped-</p>
<p>She took one arm, and Mat took the other, and together, they <em>heaved.</em></p>
<p>“Thanks”, Safiya panted.</p>
<p>“See anything useful in there?” Time asked.</p>
<p>The trio began to hastily sift the dirt while Calliope looked on over their shoulders.</p>
<p>“We’re working on it-“ Mat said.</p>
<p>“Suppose it’s in the Headstone”, Calliope posited.</p>
<p>The three of them paused.</p>
<p>“-Or perhaps not, I am unsure”, she hastily finished.</p>
<p>. . . .Mat peeked down the hole.</p>
<p>“Well...I’m not seeing anything-“</p>
<p>Time punched the Headstone.</p>
<p><em>“Dude!!” </em>Mat shouted-</p>
<p>It cracked.</p>
<p>Violet light spilled through.</p>
<p>“What?” Time shrugged.</p>
<p>“We found it, didn’t we?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>. . .Space was in trouble.</p>
<p>Nicholas was practically three steps away.</p>
<p>“-Are you going to kill me?” he asked.</p>
<p>“I had considered sealing you again, but I’m <em>really </em>sick of those cheap shots”, the Carnival Master growled.</p>
<p>The electric lightshow crackling from his hands grew worse.</p>
<p>Space swallowed-</p>
<p>
  <em>-At least it will be quick.</em>
</p>
<p>Nicholas suddenly gasped, and <em>stumbled.</em></p>
<p>A third impact mark appeared in the rock on his chest.</p>
<p>
  <em>They did it-!</em>
</p>
<p>Space couldn’t help but grin.</p>
<p>“No! What!? WHO DID THAT!??”</p>
<p>Nicholas whirled around, roaring.</p>
<p>“My friends”, Space responded.</p>
<p>His own power glowed between his palms.</p>
<p>
  <em>Just one more blow-</em>
</p>
<p>The Carnival Master swung around.</p>
<p>“Even if I die, you’re going down with me!!”</p>
<p><em>-He <b>means </b>it, </em>Space registered.</p>
<p>He was swift to throw up a shield-</p>
<p>The blue lightning <em>smashed </em>into it with enough force to shatter his guard.</p>
<p>
  <em>I’m sorry-</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-A fierce, blue storm erupted beyond the Ferris wheel.</p>
<p>The gravegoers swiveled their heads-</p>
<p>“Space. . .?” Time whispered hoarsely.</p>
<p>His face had gone ashen-pale.</p>
<p>Shards of the purple stone sat at his feet.</p>
<p>“We’ve gotta hurry-!” Mat said-</p>
<p>They didn’t bother to hike.</p>
<p>They just <em>ran.</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The two endings will come tomorrow or the next day.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Ending 1 - Wheel Of Fate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Only one crystal left to crack.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Fantasy violence, death.</p>
<p>Prompt: Worms.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>“SPACEEE!!!”</em>
</p>
<p>Time’s footfalls left behind smoke, small embers of flame as he <em>raced </em>to the prone form by the spokes.</p>
<p>“Space. . .”</p>
<p>He dropped to his knees.</p>
<p>Calliope gulped.</p>
<p>“Is he. . .?” Ro asked quaveringly.</p>
<p>Safiya watched as he pressed two fingers into the other’s neck.</p>
<p>His shoulders <em>shook.</em></p>
<p>Mat’s mouth opened and closed.</p>
<p>“. . . .<em>He is going to pay”, </em>Time said...</p>
<p>He whipped his head around, eyes simmering in anger.</p>
<p>“Where is Nicholas, anyway?” Safiya asked.</p>
<p>“Up there!” Ro pointed-</p>
<p>They all looked to the very top of the ride.</p>
<p>Hands crackling, sending tendrils of energy snapping down the colorful scaffold like worms, the Carnival Master laughed.</p>
<p>“You idiots! You may have destroyed my crystals, but you will <em>never </em>destroy me!!”</p>
<p>“That’s what <em>you </em>think!!”</p>
<p>Calliope shot a beam of golden power at him.</p>
<p>He knocked it aside.</p>
<p>It veered into the forest, and set it ablaze.</p>
<p><em>Oops. . . .</em>Safiya cringed-</p>
<p>“Is that the best you can do?” Nicholas taunted.</p>
<p>Time gave a cry of rage, and thrust his hand into the air.</p>
<p>A roaring, snapping, <em>inferno </em>slammed into the blue energy.</p>
<p>He <em>pushed-</em></p>
<p>“Be careful!!” Ro cried-</p>
<p>“Don’t worry”, Time reassured darkly, “I’ve got this”.</p>
<p>“Hah!”</p>
<p>The Carnival Master’s retort cut the air-</p>
<p>“You’ve got <em>nothing”.</em></p>
<p>The blue overwhelmed the flame, and-</p>
<p>Mat tackled Time to the ground <em>inches </em>before he could be electrocuted to death!</p>
<p>“. . .?”</p>
<p>The redhead gazed at him disbelievingly.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>Mat shrugged.</p>
<p>“You drive me up the wall, but I still don’t want to see you die. . .”</p>
<p>“Ugh! Spare me”.</p>
<p>The Carnival Master retched.</p>
<p>“I don’t even <em>need </em>to hang around you cretins anymore!”</p>
<p>His blue eyes flashed <em>purple-</em></p>
<p>“Thanks to my new Master, I can now take over the entire cosmos!!”</p>
<p>Calliope gasped.</p>
<p>“He’s about to teleport away-we’ll all be trapped here forever!!”</p>
<p>“No way!” Safiya yelled-</p>
<p>“How do we stop him!?” Ro shrilled.</p>
<p>“There’s only one way-“<br/>Calliope was talking fast, the seconds were becoming short-</p>
<p>“Someone has to break his crystal-“</p>
<p>“But how?”</p>
<p>Mat’s voice was stretched ragged-</p>
<p>“None of us can reach that high!”</p>
<p>“-The lever!” Safiya shouted, “If we pull that, the ride will move, and he’ll-“</p>
<p>Mat was already sprinting over.</p>
<p>“MAT! Watch out-“ she cried-</p>
<p>He uttered a startled noise as a blue, electric fireball nearly fried him into a Mat-sized chicken!</p>
<p>“I’m okay-!”</p>
<p>“You’d <em>better </em>be, you jerk!” Time screamed-</p>
<p>Mat grasped the lever-</p>
<p>Nicholas shimmered from existence.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Arrivederchi”.</em>
</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>The five of them watched the night turn peaceful again.</p>
<p>No one had anything to say.</p>
<p>“. . . . .Maybe someone will stop him”, Calliope said finally, “Even if it seems hopeless”.</p>
<p>“You don’t have to lie to our faces”, Safiya reassured-</p>
<p>“. . .”</p>
<p>She went quiet.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I had a flash of inspiration, so you get both endings today!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Ending 2 - The Final Nail</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Can they finally overturn the curse?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cw: Death, fantasy violence.</p>
<p>Prompt: Anything (Fear-Related).</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>“SPACEEE!!!”</em>
</p>
<p>Time’s footfalls left behind smoke, small embers of flame as he <em>raced </em>to the prone form by the spokes.</p>
<p>“Space. . .”</p>
<p>He dropped to his knees.</p>
<p>Calliope gulped.</p>
<p>“Is he. . .?” Ro asked quaveringly.</p>
<p>Safiya watched as he pressed two fingers into the other’s neck.</p>
<p>His shoulders <em>shook.</em></p>
<p>Mat’s mouth opened and closed.</p>
<p>“. . . .<em>He is going to pay”, </em>Time said...</p>
<p>He whipped his head around, eyes simmering in anger.</p>
<p>“Where is Nicholas, anyway?” Safiya asked.</p>
<p>“Up there!” Ro pointed-</p>
<p>They all looked to the very top of the ride.</p>
<p>Hands crackling, sending tendrils of energy snapping down the colorful scaffold like worms, the Carnival Master laughed.</p>
<p>“You idiots! You may have destroyed my crystals, but you will <em>never </em>destroy me!!”</p>
<p>“That’s what <em>you </em>think!!”</p>
<p>Calliope shot a beam of golden power at him.</p>
<p>He knocked it aside.</p>
<p>It veered into the forest, and set it ablaze.</p>
<p><em>Oops. . . .</em>Safiya cringed-</p>
<p>“Is that the best you can do?” Nicholas taunted.</p>
<p>Time gave a cry of rage, and thrust his hand into the air.</p>
<p>A roaring, snapping, <em>inferno </em>slammed into the blue energy.</p>
<p>He <em>pushed-</em></p>
<p>“Be careful!!” Ro cried-</p>
<p>“Don’t worry”, Time reassured darkly, “I’ve got this”.</p>
<p>“Hah!”</p>
<p>The Carnival Master’s retort cut the air-</p>
<p>“You’ve got <em>nothing”.</em></p>
<p>The blue overwhelmed the flame, and-</p>
<p>Mat tackled Time to the ground <em>inches </em>before he could be electrocuted to death!</p>
<p>“. . .?”</p>
<p>The redhead gazed at him disbelievingly.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>Mat shrugged.</p>
<p>“You drive me up the wall, but I still don’t want to see you die. . .”</p>
<p>“Ugh! Spare me”.</p>
<p>The Carnival Master retched.</p>
<p>“I don’t even <em>need </em>to hang around you cretins anymore!”</p>
<p>His blue eyes flashed <em>purple-</em></p>
<p>“Thanks to my new Master, I can now take over the entire cosmos!!”</p>
<p>Calliope gasped.</p>
<p>“He’s about to teleport away-we’ll all be trapped here forever!!”</p>
<p>“No way!” Safiya yelled-</p>
<p>“How do we stop him!?” Ro shrilled.</p>
<p>“There’s only one way-“<br/>Calliope was talking fast, the seconds were becoming short-</p>
<p>“Someone has to break his crystal-“</p>
<p>“But how?”</p>
<p>Mat’s voice was stretched ragged-</p>
<p>“None of us can reach that high!”</p>
<p>“-The lever!” Safiya shouted, “If we pull that, the ride will move, and he’ll-“</p>
<p>Mat was already sprinting over.</p>
<p>“MAT! Watch out-“ she cried-</p>
<p>He uttered a startled noise as a blue, electric fireball nearly fried him into a Mat-sized chicken!</p>
<p>“I’m okay-!”</p>
<p>“You’d <em>better </em>be, you jerk!” Time screamed-</p>
<p>Mat grasped the lever-</p>
<p>And pulled it.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Whoah-!?”</em>
</p>
<p>The blue electricity crackles were suddenly interrupted as the ride moved-</p>
<p>He toppled from the peak!</p>
<p>Time swore-</p>
<p>Sending a fireball from tense hands, it arced neatly, and-</p>
<p>
  <em>SNAP-</em>
</p>
<p>The stone at Nicholas’s chest disintegrated into smithereens.</p>
<p>. . . . . .</p>
<p>He gasped.</p>
<p>Dusted into ashes, and drifted neatly into an outline of a man as they reached the ground.</p>

<p></p><div>
  <p>.........Calliope rubbed at her eyes.</p>
  <p>***</p>
  <p>“It’s over. . .” Ro breathed.</p>
  <p>They were all re-gathered at Space’s body.</p>
  <p>“Yeah”, Time said bitterly.</p>
  <p>“Is there anything we can do?” Safiya asked.</p>
  <p>“It’s pretty unfair. . .” Mat admitted.</p>
  <p>Calliope looked at her palms.</p>
  <p>They sparked gold.</p>
  <p>“Perhaps. . . .”</p>
  <p>She knelt, and touched Space’s still chest.</p>
  <p>She <em>flooded </em>the body with golden power-</p>
  <p>The others all had to shield their eyes!!</p>
  <p>A million thoughts flickered through her head at that moment:</p>
  <p>She’d been afraid of Everlock. . .afraid of losing her friends. . .afraid they’d fail. . .afraid her new friends would die. . .</p>
  <p>She was <em>done </em>with being afraid.</p>
  <p>BOOM!</p>
  <p>.</p>
  <p>.</p>
  <p>.</p>
  <p>Space coughed.</p>
  <p>“YOU’RE ALIVEEEE!!!”</p>
  <p>Time promptly wrapped the other in a hug-</p>
  <p>“W. . .What happened-“</p>
  <p>Space looked around in a daze.</p>
  <p>“...Why is the forest on fire?”</p>
  <p>Time winced.</p>
  <p>“D’oh. . .yeah...gotta fix that-“</p>
  <p>Calliope sat back on her ankles, exhausted.</p>
  <p>
    <em>You don’t mind, do you?</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Jael?</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Ryu?</em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Their bodies had been destroyed in the fire.</p>
  <p>Their spirits had still permeated the town, though...</p>
  <p>And they were also close to her heart.</p>
  <p>That was why. . .</p>
  <p>She bit her lip.</p>
  <p>She had not been able to raise them.</p>
  <p>But-</p>
  <p>The forest had calmed...</p>
  <p>Dawn was breaking.</p>
  <p>Mat and Ro were about to get back into their car, while Safiya was mounting her bicycle.</p>
  <p>“This is gonna be a story to remember”, she marveled.</p>
  <p>-Calliope had almost forgotten about that. . .</p>
  <p>“I wish you the best of luck”.</p>
  <p>“Thanks”, Safiya smiled.</p>
  <p>“I still don’t know what to do with her”, Ro remarked.</p>
  <p>The stuffed Sorceress Toy had somehow <em>not </em>become lost from her arms after all that time.</p>
  <p>“Give her to Molly’s kid?” Mat shrugged.</p>
  <p>“AHHHH no-“</p>
  <p>“We’re gonna miss you”, Time said.</p>
  <p>“Oh? You are?” Mat blinked in surprise.</p>
  <p>“. . .Just ‘cause you drive me up a wall doesn’t mean I don’t like you”, Time begrudgingly admitted.</p>
  <p>“And. . .I owe you a phone....”</p>
  <p>“Huh? What was that?”</p>
  <p>Mat pressed a hand to his ear.</p>
  <p>“I almost couldn’t hear you-“</p>
  <p>Space chuckled.</p>
  <p>“Thank you...for everything”.</p>
  <p>“We’ll come back to visit!” Ro promised.</p>
  <p>“You sure you don’t want to come with us?” Mat asked Calliope.</p>
  <p>“. . .It’s a tempting offer...but. . .”</p>
  <p>Calliope raised her head.</p>
  <p>“Now that Everlock is no longer in danger, I think I’ll plan a trip to Purgatory....my friends might be there”.</p>
  <p>That was what she had meant by her cryptic statement in the abandoned amusement park-</p>
  <p>“Ooh! Good luck!” Ro cried.</p>
  <p>“And watch out for Reality-he might still be there”, Mat warned.</p>
  <p>“In that case, we had better come with you”, Space told her.</p>
  <p>“Yeah. . . .I still owe that backstabbing creep a punch in the face-“ Time added-</p>
  <p>Mat sighed.</p>
  <p>“You’re gonna punch the face of a guy who did all that for his lover. . .”</p>
  <p>Time’s eyes grew wide.</p>
  <p>“Wait. . .WHAAAT!??”</p>
  <p>.                .              .</p>
  <p>The vehicles drove away.</p>
  <p>Space and Time linked hands, about to phase back where they’d come from.</p>
  <p>Once there, they could then drop her off. . . . .</p>
  <p><em>It’s not goodbye, </em>she reassured herself as Mat, Ro, and Saf disappeared into the trees, and the promise of a next day.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em>It’s just...so long for now.</em>
  </p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And so ends ETNTober 2020!! I had a lot of fun writing this, hehe. Thank you for reading!! I love you guys! Stay safe!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yes for MRS-</p><p>Ratings/warnings, and chapter numbers subject to change.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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